Vt. nuclear plant’s future is uncertain


January 10, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

Vt. nuclear plant’s future is uncertain

montpelier, vt.

Vermont’s piece of the nuclear age, launched four decades ago, seems to be coming to a close, even as advocates push for a renaissance of nuclear power in the United States.

The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant’s initial 40-year license expires March 21, 2012, less than 15 months from now. And despite a safety and performance record no worse than many of the other 61 reactors that have won 20-year license extensions from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Vernon power plant’s future looks short.

That’s largely because it’s in the only state in the country with a law saying both houses of its legislature have to give their approval before Vermont regulators can issue a state license for the plant to continue operating.

Iceland summons US envoy over probe

london

The American ambassador to Reykjavik has been summoned to explain why U.S. investigators are trying to access the private details of an Icelandic lawmaker’s online activity as they try to build a criminal case against WikiLeaks.

Revelations that the U.S. Justice Department obtained a court order to examine data held by Twitter Inc. on Birgitta Jonsdottir, an Icelandic parliamentarian who sits on the country’s Foreign Affairs Committee, immediately caused consternation in the tiny North Atlantic nation.

“[It is] very serious that a foreign state, the United States, demands such personal information of an Icelandic person, an elected official,” Interior Minister Ogmundur Jonasson said.

Jonsdottir is a one-time WikiLeaks collaborator also known for her work on Iceland’s media initiative, which aims to turn the island nation into a free speech haven. Jonsdottir told The Associated Press she was too overwhelmed to comment Sunday.

Associated Press

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Aqua America, .62, 22.79 .36

Avalon Holdings,2.89.04

Clear Channel, 1.75 56.59 —1.34

Cortland Bancorp, 5.800.00

Delphi Automotive, .02 0.00

Farmers Nat., .12, 3.51 0.00

First Energy, 2.20, 38.25.09

FirstMerit Corp., .64,19.12 —.55

First Niles Financial, .32,6.750.00

First Place Fin., 2.77—.22

FNB Corp., .48,9.88–.35

General Electric, .48,18.43—.13

Motors Liquidation, .080.00

Huntington Bank, .04, 7.09—.06

JP Morgan Chase, .20,43.64—.84

Key Corp, .04,8.73.02

LaFarge, 14.81 —.30

Macy’s, .20, 23.31—.66

Parker Hannifin, 1.08, 86.05.14

PNC, .40,61.94—.34

RTI Intl. Metals,25.36—.13

Rural/Metro, 13.41 .16

Simon Prop. Grp.,2.40,96.951.60

Stoneridge 16.41 —.01

United Community Fin. 1.53.03

Selected prices at 4 p.m. Friday. Provided by Stifel Nicolaus. Not to be construed as an offer or recommendation to buy or sell any security.