The Vermont Public Utility Commission on Friday again pushed back its schedule for the review of the proposed sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant to allow for more talks by a host of involved parties on the deal.
A status conference set for Monday has been delayed to a yet-undetermined date, according to a procedural order from the commission. That conference would help the panel set the schedule for a public hearing and evidentiary hearings that were postponed from January.
Power company Entergy has proposed to sell Vermont Yankee, which closed in December 2014, to NorthStar Group Services for decommissioning, site restoration, and spent fuel management. The state of Vermont and other entities authorized to intervene in the PUC review have expressed concerns on parts of the plan including NorthStar’s financial capacity to do the job, and the current talks are aimed at addressing disputes in the proceeding.
The two companies have submitted a revised financial assurance proposal in hopes of addressing at least some concerns. Details of the proposal have not been made public.
In a joint status update filed Thursday, the various parties said they “have continued to engage in productive negotiations with participation from all interested parties. Although significant progress has been made, those negotiations are ongoing and additional time is required to allow that process to run its course.”
The parties asked that the Feb. 5 status conference be postponed, saying they would by Feb. 9 file a status update with details on the negotiations and recommend a timeline for the remaining proceedings.
NorthStar and Entergy hope to complete the deal this year, pending approval both from the PUC and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Parties to the state proceeding are: Entergy; NorthStar; Vermont Public Service Department; Vermont Attorney General’s Office; Vermont Agency of Natural Resources; New England Coalition; Windham Regional Commission; Conservation Law Foundation; Elnu Abenaki Tribe; Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi; and town of Vernon Planning and Economic Development Committee.
