New England’s Emissions Rise as Vermont Yankee is Shuttered

Institute for Energy Reasearch ^

[matt04]

When Vermont Yankee was set to close, activists such as Bill McKibben claimed that Vermont “is completely capable of replacing (and far more) its power output with renewables, which is why my roof is covered with solar panels.”[i] This isn’t what happened. Instead, natural gas generation expanded in New England. As a result, carbon dioxide emissions increased 7 percent in 2015.

Vermont Yankee Closed in 2014

Vermont Yankee, a 604-megawatt nuclear plant, provided New England with 42 years of reliable, carbon dioxide-free power before its closure at the end of 2014. The plant’s capacity factor exceeded 80 percent over its lifetime—more than double the capacity factor of the most efficient solar or wind plant in the United States, which were expected by some to replace it. But, in reality wind and solar power cannot replace the generation from Vermont Yankee, because a nuclear plant can operate 24/7 and is not dependent on the wind blowing or the sun shining. As a result, natural gas generation increased in New England by 5.5 percentage points (from 43.1 percent of generation in 2014 to 48.6 percent of generation in 2015)[ii], and with it, carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions increased in New England by about 7 percent in 2015, increasing from 28 million tons to 30 million tons, according to data from EPA.

This increase is despite the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)—an agreement among nine states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

[matt04]

Wait, you mean closing a 600 MW nuclear plant that had no Co2 emissions and ran 24/7 without the need for sun or wind couldn't be replaces by a a few solar panels that only work when the sun is out?

[ClearCase_guy]

I’m wearing my shocked face.

[rockinqsranch]

One word covers this situation quite satisfactorily.

STUPID

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

The main source of gas in Vermont today is Bernie Sander’s emissions after a burrito and fried beans.

Solution: put a flexible hose up his butt and hook it into a natural gas pipeline. Should heat all of Burlington for a years.

[Andy'smom]

I don’t know what should have been done with it, but it was old. No enthusiasm for building a new one.

[Nuc 1.1]

I do know what should have been done with it. It should be running. Nuke plants are not like your automobile. They are monitored for wear and tear and are very well maintained. Energy was refurbishing VY to ready it for for its life extension run. The folks that ran VY were some of the best people I have ever worked with in the industry and I am privileged to count them as friends. VY simply didn’t have enough output in the current environment for profitability.

[darkwing104]

Just more proof on the stupidity of Leftists

[VTenigma]

The old girl had plenty of problems, not the least of which were the Brattleboro moonbats protesting every move to upgrade. The final straw was a leak in a tunnel carrying cooling water that suffered a support collapse resulting in Tritium contamination to ground water and the Connecticut river. Now there is a controversy about mildly contaminated water being stored inside the plant in inflatable back yard pools. I live 20 miles from the plant.

[RetiredTexasVet]

The modern day Paul Revere: “Climate Change is coming, Climate Change is coming, CO2 is coming, CO2 is coming, .... never mind, you are all gonna die”.