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Atomic Show #177 – Vermont nuclear energy politics

ByRod Adams

On Sunday January 8, 2012, I chatted with Meredith Angwin who blogs at Yes Vermont Yankee and Margaret Harding, a well known independent consultant who specializes in GE Boiling Water Reactors. Our primary topic was the fate of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power station, which has been embroiled in a several year long battle to obtain permission to continue providing reliable, emission-free electricity to the New England regional power grid – as it has been producing for the past 39 years.

If all of the electricity that Vermont Yankee produced every year was sold into the state of Vermont, it would supply 85% of the state’s total load. Since the plant is located just a few miles north of the Massachusetts border and just a few dozen yards from the state line with New Hampshire, only 30% of the power stays inside state lines.

In other words, the plant is, and always has been, engaged in interstate commerce. It still confuses me why people who live in Vermont have such a basic misunderstanding of the country in which they live; no state has the right to control interstate commerce. All of them gave that up when they signed on as members of the United States of America.

Anyway, enough ranting. Hope you enjoy the show. I apologize for the echo chamber sound quality. I will do better next time – if I ever get around to doing some simple set-up upgrades.

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Rod Adams
Rod Adams

Rod Adams is Managing Partner of Nucleation Capital, a venture fund that invests in advanced nuclear, which provides affordable access to this clean energy sector to pronuclear and impact investors. Rod, a former submarine Engineer Officer and founder of Adams Atomic Engines, Inc., which was one of the earliest advanced nuclear ventures, is an atomic energy expert with small nuclear plant operating and design experience. He has engaged in technical, strategic, political, historic and financial analysis of the nuclear industry, its technology, regulation, and policies for several decades through Atomic Insights, both as its primary blogger and as host of The Atomic Show Podcast. Please click here to subscribe to the Atomic Show RSS feed. To join Rod's pronuclear network and receive his occasional newsletter, click here.

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2 Comments

  1. A very good show Rod. I didn’t get around to listing until this morning. I too was fascinated to here some of the company lore that Margaret Harding told us about, and it is always pleasant to hear Meredith.

  2. Thank you Rod, Ms. Harding and Ms. Angwin.

    No need to apologize, Rod. Audio quality was satisfactory. Some guy who called you “Dude” (affectionately) recently and I are pleased.

    I echo the DV8’s comments, especially about Ms. Angwin– not only for the pleasure to hear her voice, but the amazing work she is doing up there for the people of Vermont and environs.

    As usual, I will share with all whom I can.

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