President Burnie Sanders and Nuclear Power.

When is the media going to ask Burnie Sanders about his Vermont Yankee adventures? The leaking radioactive pipes and VY’s loss of credibility was one of the largest media stories in Vermont in decades. Burnie was heavy involved in shutting down Vermont Yankee and the nukes hate him. He was always at the local NRC meetings and the large scale demonstrations.

 

What would a Sanders president mean for the nuclear industry?

I'll bet you to the one, except Gov Shumlin, most politicians hate the nuclear issue coopting their wider campaign issues. Gov Shumlin used the anti VY issue to his advantage and that is how he got to served three terms as governor.

MY blog: “Pilgrim Nuclear Plant Following Exactly the Vermont Yankee Model?”

Just do a google search on Vermont Yankee and Burnie Sanders?

No doubt where he stands on nuclear power?

Bernie Sanders Urges Obama to Declare a Nuclear Moratorium

In the aftermath of the nuclear disaster in Japan, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders urged the White House to form a presidential commission on nuclear safety in the United States as part of a five-point crisis response.

In a letter to President Barack Obama, Sanders (I-Vt.) also asked for a moratorium on license renewals by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He said the White House should withdraw a request for $36 billion to bankroll building new nuclear plants. He questioned why taxpayers - not nuclear plant owners - are on the hook for damages in the event of a meltdown or other accident at a private power plant. And he said states should get more say on plant safety.

Sanders serves on the Senate committee that oversees the NRC, the federal agency that regulates commercial nuclear reactors in this country….

Statement: Sanders on Vermont Yankee

Thursday, January 14, 2010

BURLINGTON, January 14 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today issued the following statement in response to reports that Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant officials provided misleading information to state lawmakers about the risk of radioactive leaks from underground piping at the plant.

“It is alarming to me that officials from Vermont Yankee now admit that they misled state legislators about the risk of radioactive leaks from the plant, and that we now know that there are elevated levels of radioactive materials leaking at the plant site.

“This is a very serious situation. I will ask the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct a full investigation, and to take appropriate action.”

Friday, January 15, 2010

Vermont Congressional Delegation Requests NRC Investigation Into Radioactive Leak Risks At Vermont Yankee

WASHINGTON, January 15 - Vermont's Congressional Delegation - Sen. Patrick Leahy (D), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), and Rep. Peter Welch (D) - Friday asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct a thorough investigation into whether there was any attempt by Vermont Yankee officials to mislead state officials regarding the plant's safety and underground piping.  Press reports have suggested that officials from Entergy, which owns the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, may have provided inaccurate information to investigators about the risk of leaks at the facility.  The text of the delegation's letter to Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko is below: 

January 15, 2010

The Honorable Gregory B. Jaczko
Chairman
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001

Dear Chairman Jaczko:

We are writing in response to the alarming news that Entergy, owner of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, may have misled state officials regarding the safety of the plant.

Elevated levels of radioactive tritium have recently been found in a groundwater monitoring well on the plant site and we understand from recent news reports that Entergy has confirmed that underground piping is among the possible sources of the contamination.  According to various reports in the media, this comes after Entergy Vermont Yankee officials had told state investigators, on a number of occasions, that there was no underground piping carrying water that could contain radioactivity.   This leak highlights our ongoing concerns about Entergy Vermont Yankee's commitment to safety and to being forthright with the public and state and federal regulatory and safety agencies.

We therefore request that you undertake an immediate and thorough investigation to determine if there was an attempt by Entergy Vermont Yankee to mislead state officials regarding the plant's safety and underground piping.  Please also determine whether information provided by Entergy to the NRC has been accurate, complete, and consistent with that provided to the State of Vermont.  We hope you can pinpoint exactly what Entergy knew about the extent of their underground piping and this leak, and when they knew it.  We would also like to know whether and why state regulatory agencies were not made aware of the extent of underground piping and the risk it posed prior to this incident, and whether communications to the NRC have been complete and timely.  Finally, we would like the NRC to continue to work with the plant to determine the cause of the leak and resolve the situation as quickly as possible to avoid any further release of radioactive materials.

Please continue to keep us thoroughly informed as more information becomes available.  We are committed to assisting Vermont and the NRC to ensure that the Entergy Vermont Yankee plant meets its safety obligations.  We appreciate your timely attention to this issue. 

Sincerely,