Vermont Yankee site redevelopment plans underway
PowerTransitions is planning the redevelopment of the former Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station site in Vernon, Vermont, with a data center being one of the proposed options. The community and state are currently evaluating the potential energy, environmental, and economic impacts of such a project. Local officials express concerns about water and power strain, while the Governor recently vetoed a bill to impose data center restrictions, citing existing regulatory frameworks as sufficient.
PowerTransitions, a developer backed by private equity firm Partners Group, is formulating redevelopment plans for the 140-acre Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station site in Vernon, Vermont, which closed in 2014. The site was purchased by NorthStar, specializing in facility remediation, which is set to complete decommissioning by the end of the year and then lease the property to PowerTransitions.
Among the options floated by PowerTransitions are battery storage, a small-scale nuclear reactor, and a data center. Jim Pinkerton, a Vernon Selectboard member and Planning Commission chair, reported these discussions at a recent selectboard meeting. Any significant project would trigger Vermont's Act 250 land use review process, which Pinkerton noted could take years for a ruling. PowerTransitions aims to engage with the Vernon community and stakeholders as plans are still in early stages.
Local officials and attendees at the selectboard meeting voiced concerns about the environmental impact and potential strain on local water and power resources if a data center were built. Kerrick Johnson, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Service, also noted the negative public perception of data centers and emphasized the state's need for energy-producing projects. Last month, Governor Phil Scott vetoed a bill that would have imposed statewide restrictions on data centers, stating current regulations are adequate.