Conservation Law Foundation Says New England’s Old Nuclear Power Plants Must Comply With Latest Safety Regulations or Shut Down

CONTACT:
Karen Wood, CLF, (617) 850-1722

BOSTON, MA  April 6, 2011 – In conjunction with a Massachusetts legislative hearing held today on nuclear power in New England, and with the Fukushima debacle still unfolding in Japan, Conservation Law Foundation president, John Kassel, prevailed upon state and federal leaders to answer this wake-up call and take appropriate measures to avoid a similar crisis in New England or anywhere in the United States.

“Several of New England’s remaining nuclear power plants are on their last legs and continuing to prop them up at the taxpayers’ expense is not a viable long-term strategy,” said John Kassel, president, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF). “In the interest of public safety, these aging plants must comply with the latest safety standards within six months, or shut down. In addition, plant owners need to take immediate steps – at their expense – to better secure the radioactive waste now stored at these facilities. The notion that new nuclear power plants should be a cornerstone of our national energy policy is grossly irresponsible as long as there is no solution to the radioactive waste problem.”

Kassel continued, “We need to expedite a transition away from obsolete 20^th century technology toward truly clean and safe energy sources, such as wind and solar. We have ample power available in New England today to keep the lights on at reasonable cost without old coal and old nukes. With appropriate investment in transmission infrastructure, a mix of energy efficiency, on and offshore wind, solar, local generation and imported hydropower, we can replace the dirty, unsustainable and risky energy sources we rely upon today over a five to 10 year time horizon. Energy choices that protect our health, our climate and the environment, and create jobs in our region, are fundamental to New England’s and this country’s long-term prosperity.”

Background

At nearly 40 years old, three of our region’s four nuclear power plants are at or beyond the end of their useful lives. Vermont Yankee in Vernon, VT has been plagued with problems related to its age, from the dramatic collapse of a cooling tower in 2007 to corroded pipes leaking radioactive tritium into groundwater, soil and nearby waterways. Despite its crumbling infrastructure, Vermont Yankee’s request to renew its operating license for 20 years was granted in March 2011 by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, MA, built the same year as Vermont Yankee, and the 20 year old Seabrook Power Station in NH, are also seeking 20-year license renewals. Millstone Power Station in Waterford, CT, has two remaining units in operation, one built in 1975 and one in 1986.

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) protects New England’s environment for the benefit of all people. Using the law, science and the market, CLF creates solutions that preserve natural resources, build healthy communities, and sustain a vibrant economy region-wide. Founded in 1966, CLF is a nonprofit, member-supported organization with offices in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.