Peter Shumlin

(This article was originally published Thursday.)A U.S. district court ruled Thursday that Entergy Corp. (ETR) can continue operating the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, despite state laws that aimed to close the plant.In a decision issued late Thursday, Judge Garvan Murtha found that federal law governing nuclear power plants, particularly with regard to safety, preempt state laws.Entergy sued Vermont officials over legislation that sought to block the company from extending operations at the Vermont Yankee plant past March, when its current license expires. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued to Entergy an extended license that allows the company to operate the plant an additional 20 years.Entergy said it was pleased with the ruling, which it called "good news" for the plant's 600 employees and customers in New England.An Entergy spokeswoman declined to comment further.Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin said he was "very disappointed" in the ruling and that he continues "to believe ...

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