Entergy: Yankee shortfall less short

Entergy Nuclear has claimed the $87 million gap between what it has saved for the decommissioning of Vermont Yankee and what it needs to do the job has shrunk to $58 million. In a filing with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the owner of the Vernon reactor said it would provide federal regulators with an unspecified "financial assurance mechanism" later this year to prove it was good for the money. Entergy said the value of the decommissioning fund, which had fallen to $372 million in December, had climbed back to $402 million in July. The NRC says Entergy Nuclear should have $513 million by 2012. Robert Williams, spokesman for Entergy Nuclear, said the financial mechanism was unspecified at this time, but he said it would ultimately conform to NRC requirements.

Rutland Herald