How green anti-nukes closed a power plant delivering 620 megawatts of non-carbon electricity

Vermont Yankee was an electricity generating nuclear power plant, located in the town of Vernon, Vermont, USA. It generated 620 megawatts (MWe) of non-carbon electricity at full power. In 2008, the plant provided 71.8% of all electricity generated within Vermont, amounting to 35% of Vermont's electricity consumption.

1. In May 2009, Vermont created the first statewide renewable energy feed-in law.
2. Entergy requested a new state "certificate of public good" (CPG), but the Vermont legislature voted in February 2010 against renewed permission to operate.
3. In 2011, the Vermont Electric Cooperative utility rejected a contract to buy Vermont Yankee power at below market rates:

   The board of directors at the Vermont Electric Cooperative, the third biggest power distribution company in the state, voted nine to one to reject a 20-year offer from Entergy to buy power from the 39-year old nuclear plant at below market prices.

   Their decision follows the lead previously set by Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service:

   "I really think today was a referendum on Entergy's relationship with the state of Vermont. In fact, we as a management team got a clear message not to speak with Entergy again"

   -- Dave Hallquist VEC CEO
4. On 29 December 2014, Vermont Yankee owner Entergy ceased the plant's operations.
5. Now the renewables advocates admit they can't provide renewable energy because the laws of physics just aren't right for the universe they live in.

   "Unless we get cost-effective storage, we can’t meet those goals — it’s a law of physics. The reason is because we’re trying to meet 100 percent of our annual energy needs with these projects that produce only 15 percent of the time. So you end up having to build six times the amount, and you end up having more generation than load, so there’s nothing you can do about it. We can’t meet our goals with the current physics."

   -- Dave Hallquist, CEO of VEC Vermont Electric Cooperative