1 November 2007 -- Entergy Corp., the owner/operator of Arkansas Nuclear One, was awarded $48.7 million by a federal court because the Department of Energy failed to open Yucca Mountain by the contract deadline. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims released its decision last week. ANO has stored its own spent fuel since December 1996 for Unit 1 and April 1997 for Unit 2.

Entergy filed suit against the department for breaking a contractual agreement to pick up spent fuel by 1998. The department has 60 days to file an appeal with the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

The court determined the cost based on the cost of site improvements to store spent fuel, including dry-fuel storage pads and casts through mid-2006, as well as other plant modifications. ANO will continue to load dry fuel storage casks on site.

Entergy also received a $10.1 million ruling for its Grand Gulf plant in Mississippi, which is also subject to appeal.