Bailey Point After Restoration Maine Yankee ISFSI

 

Federal Government Urged to Remove Spent Nuclear Fuel

In October 2005 the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission amended Maine Yankee’s license, reducing the land under the license to the 12-acre Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, located on Bailey Point in Wiscasset, Maine. This followed the successful decommissioning of the former nuclear power plant and restoration of the site.

Maine Yankee’s primary purpose is the safe storage of the former plant’s spent nuclear fuel and Greater than Class C Waste in accordance with its U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission license and all applicable regulations while pursuing opportunities with the State and others for its removal from the site as soon as practicable. To view the NRC’s 2006/2007 Inspection Report for the Maine Yankee ISFSI please go to the document room. For more on the storage of spent nuclear fuel at Maine Yankee, please go to the Spent Fuel Storage/Removal page.

On September 30, 2006, U.S. Court of Federal Claims Senior Judge James F. Merow issued ruling for Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company, Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company, and Yankee Atomic Electric Company in their litigation with the federal government over its failure to remove spent nuclear fuel from the three New England sites as required by contract and statute. The judge awarded Maine Yankee $75.8 million for damages incurred through December 31, 2002.

On August 7, 2008, a U.S. Federal Court of Appeals panel vacated Judge Merow’s decision sending the cases back to the lower court. A key finding of the Appeals panel is that the awarded damages were not calculated properly. In its decision it is clear that the Appellate panel acknowledged, as did the lower courts, that the U.S. Department of Energy is liable for proven damages resulting from their failure to start picking up the spent nuclear fuel. We are hopeful that the Yankee companies and their ratepayers will ultimately prevail. Further appeals are expected and the legal process will go on for some time to come. In the meantime, the federal government is urged to remove the spent nuclear fuel and Greater than Class C Waste from the three New England sites promptly.

On December 13, 2007 each of the three Yankee companies filed a second round of damage claims against the federal government in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The damage amounts are not identified in the complaints but will be prior to trial. The time period for Maine Yankee’s damages begins on January 1, 2003 and will cover a period to be determined prior to trial. The longer the federal government delays in fulfilling its obligations, the greater the potential monetary damages will be. For more on Maine Yankee’s litigation with the federal government please go to Spent Fuel Storage/Removal and the Document Room.

As during decommissioning, Maine Yankee continues to have a community advisory panel whose purpose is to enhance open communication, public involvement and education on the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel at Maine Yankee and to advocate for its prompt removal. The Community Advisory Panel on Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage and Removal last met April 17, 2008 at the Chewonki Foundation's Center for Environmental Education in Wiscasset. The next CAP meeting will likely be in spring 2009 with the date posted two weeks in advance in local newspapers. Please go to the Document Room for additional information about the CAP. Information is also on file at the Maine State Library in Augusta.

More information about Maine Yankee is available in other areas of the website, or by contacting ISFSI Manager Jim Connell at 207-882-6321 or JConnell@3yankees.com