May 6 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Bob Audette Brattleboro Reformer, Vt.



Vermont is showing the nation that it doesn't need nuclear power, said Sen. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., on Wednesday during an Environment and Public Works Committee oversight hearing on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The Green Mountain State has proven people can rely on energy efficiencies to reduce their electric consumption and on renewables to provide the supply that they need, he said.

"Vermont is a leader in energy efficiency," he said. "We have reduced our electric consumption thanks to ... energy efficiency (and) our people do not live in caves."

Over the past 10 years, said Sanders, the state has cut its electric consumption by 1.5 percent each year.

 By 2020, if the nation were to be "slightly more aggressive" than Vermont in its energy efficiency implementation, it could reduce its peak electric demands by 117,000 megawatts.

"That would save more power than the entire capacity of the existing United States nuclear power plant fleet," said Sanders.

It would also save ratepayers about $168 billion and create hundreds of thousands of jobs, he said.

"If you want new energy creation in the United States, nuclear is the most expensive way to go," said Sanders.

Instead, the nation should be investing in renewables such as solar, wind and geothermal, he said.

Sanders also expressed concern that 27 of the nation's 104 nuclear power plants are leaking or have leaked tritiated water

into the environment, including Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon.

He asked Gregory Jaczko, the chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, if any of the operators of those plants have been fined for the leaks.

"I'm not aware that the NRC has leveled fines," said Jaczko, though the NRC has taken steps such as increasing oversight at the plants.

"Most Americans wouldn't be satisfied with that," responded Sanders.

Sanders also questioned Jaczko about the fate of spent nuclear fuel.

Jaczko told Sanders that the NRC has determined spent fuel can be maintained safely and securely at nuclear power plants for at least 100 years.

What would happen after 100 years is not yet known, he admitted, but a geological repository is probably the answer.

Sanders said that the government had spent $7.7 billion on Yucca Mountain to no avail.

"How, with a straight face, can anybody be talking about building new nuclear power plants when we don't have an actual repository to take care of the waste generated by the plants currently in existence?" he asked.

Because of that, said Sanders, he was not comfortable with the industry's stated goals of building 100 new nuclear power plants.

"There are cheaper and more effective ways to solve our energy crisis," said Sanders.

If members of Congress from Tennessee, Ohio and Oklahoma believe so much in nuclear power, said Sanders, "Stand up and say you want a Yucca Mountain in your state."

Bob Audette can be reached at raudette@reformer.com, or at 802-254-2311, ext. 273.

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