A petition submitted by the anti-nuke group New England Coalition (NEC) to shut down Vermont Yankee was denied by the Vermont Supreme Court on March 25, according to the Brattleboro Reformer.

The petition contends that by continuing to operate the plant past March 21, 2012 without a new certificate of public good, Yankee’s owner, Entergy, is in violation of an agreement of its 2002 purchase of the nuclear facility.

“The Public Service Board [PSB] is taking testimony and evidence and is expected to make its decision on whether to issue a new CPG [Certificate of Public Good] sometime in August,” the Reformer reports. “In the meantime, the PSB said even though Entergy is in violation of the sales order, it can continue to operate the plant under the expired certificate.”•