Vermont Yankee fuel move wins final NRC approval

Federal regulators have issued a final seal of approval for Vermont Yankee’s $143 million fuel move project.

A new inspection report says Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspectors came up with “no findings of safety significance” after conducting observations, interviews and document reviews in connection with the 14-month transfer of the plant’s radioactive spent fuel into sealed casks.

The report represents the “final assessment” of the now-finished fuel move. But NRC spokesperson Neil Sheehan said inspectors will be keeping watch on the spent fuel’s new home on two concrete pads at the Vernon site.

“We will continue to perform periodic inspections of the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, both in terms of maintenance of the dry casks and security,” Sheehan said. “With respect to the larger site, we will continue to inspect decommissioning activities on an ongoing basis.”

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2018/09/13/vermont-yankee-fuel-move-wins-final-nrc-approval/