NRC judges set Vt Yankee reactor renewal hearing

NEW YORK, July 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) will conduct a hearing during the week of July 21 on Entergy Corp's (ETR.N) application to renew the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant license for another 20 years.

In a release on July 9, the NRC said the hearing, which is open to the public, will focus on three contentions raised by the New England Coalition and the Vermont Department of Public Service.

The contentions concern metal fatigue and the aging of the steam dryer and piping if the reactor - the only nuclear power plant in Vermont - operates for an additional 20 years.

The steam dryer is located inside the top of the reactor vessel. It removes moisture from steam produced in the reactor before it flows to the turbine to generate electricity.

Three ASLB judges will hold the hearing at the Windham County Courthouse in Newfane, Vermont.

The ASLB is a quasi-judicial arm of the NRC that handles and decides challenges to proposed nuclear licensing matters.

The State of Vermont is also a party to the proceeding and New Hampshire and Massachusetts will participate as interested states.

The 620 MW reactor represents more than 50 percent of the generating capacity in the Vermont.

Vermont Yankee, which entered service in 1972, is located in Vernon in Windham County about 80 miles north of Hartford, Connecticut.