FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Guy Page, 223-0575 (office) or 802-505-0448 (cell), page@vtep.org
Brad Ferland, 802-999-2633, bferland@together.net
Statement on Proposed Hydro-Québec Contract
Montpelier, VT/March 11, 2010 – Pursuant to an announcement that Governor James Douglas has reached a power purchase agreement in principle with Hydro-Québec to sell power to Vermont utilities, Brad Ferland President of the Vermont Energy Partnership issued the following statement.
“The Douglas Administration should be commended for its leadership in working to secure Vermont’s long-term supply of electricity. This proposed agreement with Hydro-Québec helps ensure our supply of clean and reliable electricity. It provides additional certainty for Vermont’s struggling business sector and as such will help support the state’s economic recovery.”
“Furthermore, this news is the strongest argument yet that the next step by the Administration should be to secure a 20-year contract for power from Vermont Yankee. In contrast to Hydro-Québec, Vermont Yankee is the largest in-state supplier of electricity and is responsible for more than $93 million in wages earned annually and almost 1,300 jobs statewide, including 650 good paying jobs at the plant. A new contract with Vermont Yankee will continue to deliver millions in tax dollars to the state and an estimated $500 million in revenue sharing for Vermont ratepayers.”
“The next piece of the puzzle for Vermont’s economic recovery is to cut a good deal with Vermont Yankee.”
The Vermont Energy Partnership (www.vtep.org) is a diverse group of more than 90 business, labor, and community leaders committed to finding clean, affordable and reliable electricity solutions to ensure Vermont stays a great place to live and work. Entergy, owner of Vermont Yankee, is a member of the Vermont Energy Partnership. Our mission is to educate policy makers, the media, businesses, and the general public about optimal solutions to preserve and expand our electricity network.
Ha, nice spin. “Strongest argument yet” to continue operations at the crumbling Vermont Yankee for 20 years past its retirement date? Seems that Vermont’s utilities are snapping up plentiful power in the glutted market, confirming that after VY closes on schedule in 2012, we’ll have plenty of power at affordable prices.
This is so clearly partisan it’s laughable. Jim Douglas did NOT reach “a power purchase agreement…with Hydro-Québec.”
CVPS and GMP negotiated the agreement.
Although owned by the Province of Quebec, HQ is a business. GMP & CVPS (having a longstanding business relationship with HQ predating Jim Douglas) asked HQ if it would enter into a new contract to sell power (that’s what HQ does). This required no involvement by the governor and would have happened even if Elmer Fudd was the governor.
Furthermore, the press release uses inaccurate information about the economic impact of VT Yankee because it falsely states that VY is responsible for 1,300 jobs statewide. The analysis that reached this conclusion failed to account for the fact that 60% of the VY workers live outside VT so the multiplier effect is much less than reported.
Finally, a note to the editor: the name of the group is not the VT ENTERGY Partnership (although I like the slip); it’s the VT Energy Partnership. [BTW - When you go to the web site, they don't even tell you the names of the partners.]
The VT energy partnership is an entity created by ENVY during the uprate case. Literally it is made up of Entergy support around the state both corporate and individuals.
I guess I am most dismayed by the continuation of lies. In front of the state Public Service Board in the last 7440 status conference – Entergy’s lawyer stated that his client really “gets it”
So here we are a month + later and Entergy has now added 4 PR big heads from Louisiana to the VT tritium team.
This does not show ” getting it” Getting it would be showing yourselves to be forthcoming with information not hiding and stalling when asked for more information by either the State of VT or the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
“Getting it” would not be letters by VEP such as this one.
Entergy wanna “get it” ?
Try truth.