Vermont Yankee

The U.S. branch of French nuclear company Orano said Wednesday it is preparing to deploy the first of its next-generation radioactive waste transport casks. Columbia, Md.-based Orano TN has manufactured the initial NUHOMS MP197HB, but still must assemble the container, according to a press release. It is expected by the end of 2019 to be ready for […]

EnergySolutions on Tuesday said it had sealed the deal for acquisition of reactor Unit 2 (TMI-2) at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, which famously partially melted down 40 years ago. Under the newly signed contract, the Salt Lake City-based nuclear services firm will buy TMI-2’s assets and obtain its licenses from […]

Vermont on Monday officially became the 39th agreement state to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It now assumes primary responsibility for regulatory oversight of radioactive materials within state borders, though that does not include the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant being decommissioned. The four NRC commissioners in early September voted unanimously in favor of giving […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s guidance on decommissioning of nuclear power plants has not kept up with an increasingly popular business model in the industry, the agency’s Inspector General’s Office said in a report this week. The “Audit of NRC’s Transition Process for Decommissioning Power Reactors” found generally that the federal agency effectively oversees sites […]

NorthStar Group Services has requested approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to switch the means of transport to disposal of 200,000 gallons of contaminated wastewater from the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. The company plans to move the wastewater primarily by rail to a disposal site in Idaho, rather than by truck as previously […]

NorthStar Group Services has requested approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to switch the means of transport to disposal of 200,000 gallons of contaminated wastewater from the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. The company plans to move the wastewater primarily by rail to a disposal site in Idaho, rather by truck as previously OK’d […]

Staff at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission have determined that the Vermont state government is largely ready to assume regulatory authority over some radioactive materials. The only significant issue was with certain state regulations that require revision, the agency said Tuesday in a Federal Register notice. Vermont has said it will address those issues. In […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans through fall to hold 11 public meetings in communities near nuclear power plants that have closed or are nearing the end of the service life. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss best practices for community boards that would provide advice on decommissioning of the facilities, as required […]

By John Stang Entergy Wholesale Commodities, which operates three nuclear plants in the northeastern United States, on Wednesday posted another steep loss for the fourth quarter of 2018. The business reported a $373 million loss on an as-reported basis attributable to parent Entergy Corp., $2.04 per share. The loss on an operational basis was recorded […]

Entergy expects this year to select a company that will take ownership of its Indian Point nuclear power plant in New York for decommissioning, Chairman and CEO Leo Denault said Wednesday during an earnings teleconference with financial analysts. Denault did not elaborate on the numbers and identities of the prospective bidders for the deal. He said […]

Entergy Wholesale Commodities, which operates three nuclear plants in the northeastern United States, on Wednesday posted another steep loss for the fourth quarter of 2018. The business reported a $373 million loss on an as-reported basis, $2.04 per share. The loss on an operational basis was recorded at $158 million, or $0.87 per share. While […]

By John Stang Duke Energy is keeping its options open for eventual decommissioning of its retired Crystal River nuclear plant in central-western Florida. In a request last week to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to release the bulk of the Crystal River property for unrestricted use, the Charlotte, N.C.-based power company mentioned that “Duke Energy […]

Power company Entergy on Friday completed the sale of its shuttered Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant to NorthStar Group Services, a deal more than two years in making. The announcement closes a first-of-its-kind deal for managing post-closure cleanup of these facilities, with the owner passing full responsibility for decommissioning, site restoration, and spent fuel management […]

Private equity firm J.F. Lehman & Co. has announced the promotions of two directors who have been involved in management of its nuclear cleanup and waste businesses. Glenn Shor is being elevated to partner and David Thomas to principal, according to a Dec. 20 press release from the New York City-based company. Shor has been […]

Representatives from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Holtec International are scheduled to meet on Jan. 9 to discuss two possible violations in the energy services firm’s design for a spent nuclear fuel storage cask. The apparent violations, identified during an inspection in May of Holtec headquarters in Camden, N.J., could lead to fines or other […]

By John Stang The Vermont Public Utility Commission (VPUC) on Thursday approved the sale of the retired Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant from owner Entergy to a New York company for decommissioning. The three-person panel authorized an amendment to the 2002 certificate of public good regarding the ownership and operation of the single-reactor facility. This […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is cautious about meeting the hoped-for schedule to issue a decision on the license transfer application for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Massachusetts. The single-reactor facility on Cape Cod is scheduled for closure by June 1 of next year. New Orleans-based owner Entergy plans to sell the plant to New […]

By John Stang Entergy and Holtec International are at least a couple weeks behind schedule in submitting the license transfer application and associated paperwork for the proposed sale of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Massachusetts. In late September, the two companies said they anticipated they would in October deliver to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission […]

Parties to a settlement agreement and memorandum of understanding for the planned sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant are allowing another month to secure final regulatory approval necessary for the deal. The new date at which parties are authorized to withdraw from the settlement, if the Vermont Public Utility Commission has not ruled […]

Entergy expects the license transfer application for its Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Massachusetts to proceed through review by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission more quickly than the recently wrapped process for the Vermont Yankee power plant, an executive said Wednesday. In both cases, the New Orleans-based energy provider wants to sell the facility to […]

Parties to a settlement agreement and memorandum of understanding for the planned sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant are allowing another month to secure final regulatory approval necessary for the deal. The new date at which parties are authorized to withdraw from the settlement, if the Vermont Public Utility Commission has not ruled […]

By John Stang The fact that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission tweaked the conditions for transferring the licenses for the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant is cause for the state Public Utility Commission to reject the plan as it currently stands, an environmental group argued in a new filing Wednesday. Among the organizations authorized to […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on this week approved the license transfer application for the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, putting the retired facility one step closer to being sold. The next and last major step in the regulatory process is approval from the Vermont Public Utility Commission, which site owner Entergy and prospective buyer NorthStar […]

The prospective owner of the retired Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant is requesting an exemption to federal rules so it can use $20 million from the facility’s decommissioning trust fund for “irradiated fuel management activities.” Staff at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Wednesday issued a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for any potential environmental […]

Two members of Massachusetts’ congressional delegation on Monday demanded assurance that the planned sale and decommissioning of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station will not endanger the public’s safety or security. Sen. Ed Markey (D) and Rep. Bill Keating (D) made their case in letters to power company Entergy and energy technology firm Holtec International, respectively […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Sept. 28 it expects to need at least a couple extra weeks to issue its decision on the license transfer for the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. “[W]e have been saying we anticipated issuing a decision by the end of the third quarter,” NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said by email. […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Friday it expects to need at least a couple extra weeks to issue its decision on the license transfer for the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. “[W]e have been saying we anticipated issuing a decision by the end of the third quarter,” NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said by email. “However, […]

The August doldrums in Washington weren’t quite as quiet as in past years, and there was plenty of news during the ExchangeMonitor’s annual publication break. As chronicled in the Weapons Complex Morning Briefing, here are a few stories we’ve been following. Parties Aim for Regulatory OK For Vermont Yankee Sale by Oct. 31 Parties to the […]

Parties to the settlement agreement for the sale of the retired Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant are betting they can secure federal and state regulatory approval for the deal by Oct. 31. That is the new date, according to a recent amendment to the settlement agreement, after which parties can withdraw if the sale has […]

All spent fuel at the retired Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station has been moved to dry storage, owner Entergy announced Thursday. The transfer campaign, conducted by Holtec International, began in June 2017. It involved removing nearly 3,000 sent fuel assemblies from wet storage and placing them in 45 storage casks, which were then transported to […]