The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it will not perform the extra independent engineering assessment sought by the Public Service Board at the Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor.
When the board approved Vermont Yankee’s request for a 20 percent power increase two weeks ago, it conditioned that approval on the NRC ordering the independent review. But in letters to Vermont’s two U.S. senators on Monday, the NRC said its current inspection and review regimen at Vermont Yankee is adequate.
Nuclear watchdog groups had demanded an independent safety analysis at Vermont Yankee before the 32-year-old reactor is given permission to boost its power output. The NRC says that is not needed now.