Nuclear Reactor in Vermont Needs to be Shut Down, Greenpeace on the Case

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vermont and Greenpeace blimp with "Shut Down Vermont Yankee" banner.

An old nuclear reactor in Vermont, the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, has had a number of problems lately and Greenpeace has taken notice. “The 38-year-old reactor has a history of contamination issues, including a recent leak of radioactive water,” Becky Striepe of our sister site Ecoscraps writes.

In February, the Vermont Senate voted 26-4 to stop continued operation of Vermont Yankee, led by then-Senator but now newly elected Governor Peter Shumlin. The day after Shumlin was elected as Governor, the company that owns Vermont Yankee, Entergy, announced it was looking to sell the nuclear plant. Hmm, I wonder why….

Following the most recent leak of radioactive water on November 7, to put more eyes on this aging nuclear plant and encourage Entergy to retire it, Greenpeace sent a letter to Entergy CEO J. Wayne Leonard and CEOs of companies that might have been identified as potential buyers of Vermont Yankee yesterday and it flew a blimp over the reactor with a banner on it that read “Shut Down Vermont Yankee.”

“Entergy needs to stop trying to squeeze more profit out of Vermont Yankee or dump the mess they’ve created onto someone else, and instead begin preparations to permanently shut down this old reactor,” said Jim Riccio, Nuclear Policy Analyst for Greenpeace.

Vermont residents seem to be onto the issue, thankfully, and the pressure is on Entergy now to take responsibility and stop trying to make money off of this old nuclear reactor.

“Vermonters no longer trust that Vermont Yankee can operate safely, without accident or radioactive releases to the groundwater,” said Mark Floegel of Greenpeace, “Entergy needs to stop putting their profits ahead of the safety of New Englanders, and shut down Vermont Yankee as scheduled.”

Photo via Greenpeace USA

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5 thoughts on “Nuclear Reactor in Vermont Needs to be Shut Down, Greenpeace on the Case”

  1. Planet Killer Paxus,

    Glad to see you show up gloat about your recent planet killing success. Ever time I call you on the point that no has ever died due to an acute radiation dose in Western commercial production of nuclear power you always run away. What’s up with that? You also always ignore the fact that coal has kills 20,000 people year in the US; just by particulate pollution alone. Why is it that coal companies are not afraid of renewable energy source like wind and solar? I think it is the same reason why Green Peace is not feared by the coal industry. They are both intermittent in there ability to apply power to a community. Every dollar that is donated to Greenpeace is in fact a dollar given to fossil fuel companies.

    Viva the nuclear renaissance,

    John Farmer

  2. Congratulations to GP US and the others who finally succeeded in shutting this reactor down. I have done several actions at VT Yankee and now i get to see those actions pay off.

  3. Hi folks,
    Good to see Greenpeace using a hot air airship to protest as it is time to start shutting nuclear power stations down and set an example to the rest of the world that nuclear power is not a good alternative to oil or gas power stations.
    I hope the pilot can run fast after landing as the airspace around a nuclear power station is restricted and the FAA will be after the pilot with a big fine.
    If you like blimps and want a Helium sniffing laugh try http://www.hybridblimp.net the worlds only lighter than air comedy web site.
    Regards JB ( http://www.hybridairship.net )

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