With Vermont lawmakers poised to vote next week on whether to re-license the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, questions are being raised about the potential for a federal lawsuit should the Legislature vote against the plant.
Some experts say the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission has exclusive authority over a nuclear plant’s safety, and that the state can’t say no to Vermont Yankee re-licensing based on safety issues.
So lawmakers are focusing instead on the plant’s reliability and whether it can be counted on to deliver power if it’s allowed to operate past its currently scheduled license expiration in 2012.
Lawmakers say they hope that lessens the chances of a federal suit.