Decommissioning

 Rutland Herald

April 3, 2009

Entergy doesn't have cash in fund to clean up Vernon nuclear plant site.
By Susan Smallheer STAFF WRITER
BRATTLEBORO - The cost of decommissioning the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant has gone up $25 million in the past year, at the same time its savings account to cover the costs of dismantlement and cleanup has declined about $93 million.

But according to a filing with the NRC this week, Entergy Nuclear has no plans of making any new contributions to the decommissioning trust fund, sidestepping the issue of the recent declines in the trust fund because of the economic crisis.
 

By BOB AUDETTE, Reformer Staff

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

BRATTLEBORO – If you've been keeping an eye on Vermont Yankee's decommissioning trust fund, it has had so many ups and downs in the past year you might need to take some anti-nausea medication.

In just the past year, the fund has lost $80 million, from $427 million in March 2008 to $347 million by the end of last month. Since September 2007, the fund has lost $93 million.

 All nuclear decommissioning studies rely on similar assumptions supplied 

by TLG Industries which is owned and operated by Entergy. TLG continues to 

base decommissioning estimates on “field” studies (1) extrapolated from small,  

minimally contaminated, and/or prematurely shutdown nuclear reactors. 

These estimates are based on Base Rate Case proceedings before the Pennsylvania 

Public Utility Commission (“PA PUC”). TLG Industries current estimates have 

increased three fold since 1995. The 1995 predictions witnessed a similar 

increase when compared to TLG’s 1990 assessments.  

To read the full TMIA report, open pdf: 

 Three Mile Island Alert, Inc. (“TMIA”) is a safe-energy organization based 

in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and founded in 1977. TMIA monitors the Peach 

Bottom Atomic Power Station, Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, and the 

Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station. TMIA has been actively involved 

with issues pertaining to nuclear decommissioning since the March 1979 

accident at Three Mile Island (TMI) Unit-2 forced the premature shutdown of the 

reactor with no decommissioning funding in place. 

To read TMIA's testimony, open pdf.

March 2007 

 In accordance with 10 CFR 50.75, "Reporting and recordkeeping for decommissioning 

planning," paragraph (f)(1), Exelon Generation Company, LLC (EGC) and AmerGen 

Energy Company, LLC (AmerGen) are submitting a report on the status of 

decommissioning funding for the reactors owned by EGC and AmerGen. 

Open pdf to read the full report.