Vermont Yankee

Background

Vermont Yankee was a single-unit boiling water reactor that produced 620MW MW of electricity. The plant began operating in 1972 and was licensed to operate for 40 years through 2012. In 2006, Vermont Yankee applied to the NRC for a 20-year license renewal that was granted in 2011 extending the licensed operations through 2032. In 2013, citing economic reasons, the plant owner’s announced that Vermont Yankee would close in 2014.

Decommissioning

Vermont Yankee is in SAFSTOR status. In 2016, Entergy announced its intent to sell Vermont Yankee to Northstar Group Services for decommissioning. This transaction received approval from the NRC in 2018 and is awaiting similar approvals from the state of Vermont. Entergy hosts a website that provides information on the decommissioning process. Vermont’s decommissioning website is found here.

Socioeconomics

Vermont Yankee is located in Windham County, Vermont. As of 2016:

• Population: 43,000
• Per Capita Annual Income: $49,000
• Unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted): 3.1%

The Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant employed 650 workers from across New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts, and paid approximately $66M in annual salaries and benefits. During operations, the plant contributed half of Vernon’s $2 million tax base.

Contact Information

Economic Development Administration Representative:

• Matt Suchodolski, Philadelphia Regional Office, t: (215) 597-1242, e: msuchodolski@eda.gov

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

• Jack Parrott, Project Manager t: (301) 415-3017, e: jack.parrott@nrc.gov
• Vermont Yankee