The New York Times is reporting that the federal judge in a lawsuit has determined that Vermont Yankee does NOT have to close as per the state's wishes. In a decision that could have ramifications everywhere there are states' agreements with nuclear utility companies -- including California -- the judge felt that the overwhelming reasons anyone wanted the reactor shut down were radiological safety concerns, and those were the purvey of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ONLY. The NRC has already allowed the dilapidated old Fukushima look-alike to run for another 20 years to age 60 -- the NRC decided this even as its sister plant in Fukushima was melting down and the NRC didn't know (or care) why (it still doesn't)!
The state of Vermont is expected to appeal.
NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/science/earth/vermont-cant-shut-down-nuclear-plant-judge-rules.html
