Lt. Gov. Phil Scott is one of Vermont Yankee’s few allies in state government. The former Washington County senator – one of only four last year to vote in favor of allowing the nuclear power plant to seek re-licensure before the Public Service Board – doesn’t necessarily think the 650-megawatt reactor should operate past 2012. He does though believe Entergy ought to get a chance to argue its case before the PSB.
So it was somewhat surprising to hear the Republican’s response to news about Entergy’s new lawsuit against the state of Vermont. Scott said he’s disappointed by Entergy’s decision to challenge state jurisdiction over nuclear regulation. He doesn’t agree with the 2006 vote that forced Entergy to get legislative approval before it could seek re-licensure from the PSB – Scott voted against that bill.
“But these are the rules. This is the law that’s been passed,” Scott said Tuesday. “They are rules I don’t agree with, but we have to live with rules we don’t agree with.”
Scott said he’s concerned about the considerable legal fees Vermont will incur fighting the lawsuit. And if courts do give Entergy some latitude – in the form of an injunction that allows the plant to operate past its license expiration – Scott said Vermont “may be the only state in New England that doesn’t receive low-price power.”
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