Protestors gather in Vermont to stop Entergy nuclear plant

JACKSON — Four days after a federal judge ruled that the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant in Montpelier, Vt., can continue operating, demonstrators gathered outside the Statehouse to call for the Entergy Corp. plant to be shut down.

About 15 people stood in front of the Statehouse in the rain holding signs saying “Retire Vermont Yankee, as planned.”

Last Thursday, a federal judge ruled the Vernon plant could operate after its original 40-year federal license expires in March. Entergy had sued the state after it had declined to give the plant permission to continue running.

Organizers of the rally say Vermont Yankee is an unreliable source of energy that needs to be shut down as soon as possible. They plan to demonstrate weekly or perhaps daily in Montpelier.

Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans while its nuclear business is based in Jackson.

In a separate item, Entergy said it expects fourth quarter 2011 as-reported earnings of approximately $0.86 per share and operational earnings of approximately $0.93 per share.

Results for fourth quarter 2010 were $1.26 per share on an as-reported basis and $1.30 per share on an operational basis.

Entergy also affirmed its previously issued operational earnings guidance for 2012.

As-reported results are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and are comprised of operational earnings and special items. Special items were reflected in both periods arising out of expenses for outside services in connection with the proposed divestment and subsequent merger of Entergy’s electric transmission business into ITC Holdings Corp. announced Dec. 5, 2011 and expenses associated with the previously planned spin-off of the non-utility nuclear business incurred in fourth quarter 2010.

The decrease in fourth quarter 2011 earnings was driven by lower results at Parent & Other, which was partially offset by higher earnings at Utility and Entergy Wholesale Commodities. Income tax is cited as a quarter-over-quarter variance explanation in each of the disclosure segments. On an overall company basis, the effective income tax rate in the fourth quarter 2011 exceeded the prior year period.