Some people seem to think that Vermont Yankee's presence here for the last 40 years has been long enough and it's time for it to go.
I used to think 40 years was a long time until I grew older. Why, it was less than 40 years ago in 1973 that I had to push my car up to the pump on either a Tuesday or a Thursday (your day to fill up depended on your tag number) during the Energy Crisis. I don't ever want to do that for electricity.
The last 40 years around here have been pretty good. Vermont Yankee has played a large part in this small community; it has supplied very inexpensive, safe, reliable energy and jobs, community service, and partnerships. It's been a good neighbor. I can't help but wonder who has had enough of that and what they want in the future.
Forty years has not been enough for wind turbines to pop up all over. Forty years has not been enough to develop cost-effective solar. What makes next year so much more magical than the last 40?
I see a lot of conflict with building new installations of any kind, like transmission lines in the Northern Pass Project. We should run Vermont Yankee another 20 years and take the time to develop the wind and solar industry. Federal money is tight and getting tighter by the year, and it's going to take a pile of money to put all those wind and solar facilities across the state and to make or preserve private-sector jobs.
Take that 20 years to make the change gradually, make the plan, and find the federal funds and private funds.
Take the time to make sure that the people that have to have these new power facilities in their backyards will agree with your plans.
I hope that even 20 years would be enough for that to be possible.