Listen to the recorded, 10-minute telephone press conference:
Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., met with Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko regarding “recent alarming reports” about the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.
Vermont’s congressional delegation held a conference call press event today after they spoke with Jaczko about the discovery of the radioactive isotope tritium in a test well and water in an underground tunnel in the vicinity of the plant, in addition to revelations that an Entergy employee misled state officials about underground piping under the plant. The pipes are suspected to be the source of the tritium leak.
“We are asking that the NRC move as aggressively as it can to find out where the leak is that is causing concern and rectify it as soon as possible,” Sanders said.
Jaczko told the delegation that NRC inspectors will find the source of the tritium leak within a few weeks.
Leahy said he doesn’t find Entergy, the corporation that owns Vermont Yankee, credible. An Entergy official has been accused of making misstatements in sworn testimony to the Public Service Department regarding underground piping at the plant.
“I want to have someone I can believe,” Leahy said. “The discoveries have been troubling, but the difficulty in getting the facts is equally troubling. The company has not been straightforward with Vermont. Whether that’s by design or through negligence, is almost beside the fact. We Vermonters have the real facts.”
Welch said Entergy’s excuses “never end.” He cited the cooling tower collapse a few years, which the corporation said “didn’t matter.” Welch said Entergy claimed the pipes didn’t exist and that “it didn’t matter” either.
“That’s not acceptable. This is a nuclear reactor and we cannot in any way to allow safety to be compromised,” Welch said. “Vermonters are entitled to have a cop on the beat and our expectation is that the NRC be extremely aggressive (in its inspections).”
The Legislature is expected to decide whether to extend licensure for Vermont Yankee this year; Gov. James Douglas is urging lawmakers to leave the decision to the Vermont Public Service Board.
“When you talk about relicensing a facility with the safety implications of a nuclear power plant, the credibility of the managers of that plant have to be taken into very strong consideration, not just in this one incidence, but in a history of incidents,” Sanders said.
Gov. Douglas’s confidence in the Public Service Board to make the right decision is the best evidence that relicensing approval is a done deal as far as his administration is concerned. Over and over again, the VPSB has made decisions based on false information from Entergy and the Public Advocate for the Department of Public Service. When these lies have been revealed, the VPSB has not used its authority to revoke the Certificate of Public Good, without which Entergy cannot operate. Here are some examples. 1) Entergy’s VP Thayer and Sarah Hofmann, Public Advocate, lied about Entergy’s willingness and ability to stay within the states 20 mrem gamma radiation limit, measured as 1 rad = 1 rem, after Uprate, or they would DERATE (reduce power to stay within the limit). Since 2004 ENVY has exceeded this limit. No consequences, other than the VT DOH changing the radiation rules to suit Entergy. 2) VPSB granted a CPG on Entergy’s request to use dry casks to store excess radioactive waste from extra fuel rods used up faster since the Uprate. The PSB granted a CPG as long as Entergy monitored the casks and reported monthly to DPS and VDH. For an entire year Entergy failed to monitor. No consequences, no enforcement. The VPSB is a tool of the Administration. Let the people decide. Shut VY now, for our children’s health and safety.