Debating the future of nuclear energy in Vermont episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 9, 2026 · 49 MIN

Debating the future of nuclear energy in Vermont

from Vermont Edition · host Vermont Public

Vermont has a plan to stop using nuclear power by 2035. But Governor Phil Scott says we need to change course.To discuss the future of nuclear power in Vermont, we're joined by the state’s public service commissioner Kerrick Johnson, and Ben Edgerly Walsh, Climate and Energy Program Director of Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG). Johnson says today’s standards are too inflexible and that nuclear would lower energy costs for Vermonters. But Edgerly Walsh disagrees, saying nuclear power doesn't live up to the hype.Then: An update on the Yankee Nuclear Plant in Vernon. It was shut down over a decade ago. What’s next for the land and the community? We're joined by Jim Pinkerton, one of two local representatives on the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel. He is also the chair of Vernon’s Planning & Economic Development Commission.Broadcast live on Monday, March 9, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Vermont has a plan to stop using nuclear power by 2035. But Governor Phil Scott says we need to change course. To discuss the future of nuclear power in Vermont, we're joined by the state’s public service commissioner Kerrick Johnson, and Ben Edgerly Walsh, Climate and Energy Program Director of Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG). Johnson says today’s standards are too inflexible and that nuclear would lower energy costs for Vermonters. But Edgerly Walsh disagrees, saying nuclear power doesn't live up to the hype. Then: An update on the Yankee Nuclear Plant in Vernon. It was shut down over a decade ago. What’s next for the land and the community? We're joined by Jim Pinkerton, one of two local representatives on the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel. He is also the chair of Vernon’s Planning & Economic Development Commission. Broadcast live on Monday, March 9, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

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Debating the future of nuclear energy in Vermont

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This episode was published on March 9, 2026.

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Vermont has a plan to stop using nuclear power by 2035. But Governor Phil Scott says we need to change course.To discuss the future of nuclear power in Vermont, we're joined by the state’s public service commissioner Kerrick Johnson, and Ben Edgerly...

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