About Vermont YankeeThe Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, VT is a single-unit “boiling water reactor.” At Vermont Yankee, water is heated to produce steam that flows to a turbine. The turbine rotates and spins an electric generator producing electricity—just as in a coal or oil-powered power plant. The steam then goes into a heat exchanger called a condenser, and becomes water when cooler water from the Connecticut River flows through tubes containing the steam in the condenser. The condenser is designed to keep steam from the turbine separate from the water that is drawn from and returned to the river. This process is similar to any power plant that uses steam. Once the steam in the condenser becomes water, it is pumped back into the reactor to be boiled again. The plant produces 650 megawatts of electricity daily, enough electricity to light 650,000 homes, operating safely and reliably since 1972. Vermont Yankee, like all nuclear power plants, does not produce greenhouse gases or other air pollutants. Vermont Yankee Safety Systems Vermont Yankee, like all American nuclear power plants, has numerous safety features designed to protect the plant, the environment and the health and safety of the people around the plant if a problem occurs. These safety systems include:
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