The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant.
Parts of the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts have frozen over for the first time in more than 30 years. And many residents think that has less to do with this year’s cold weather and more to do with the closing of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant upriver.
According to an article on WWLP.com, parts of the river from the Vermont line as far south as Sunderland are reporting a change in the river’s water temperature since the plant closed last year. The plant had a permit to discharge hot water into the river. In winter, the difference could be 13 degrees above the river’s water temperature.
Many say the significantly warmer water prevented the river from freezing for decades.
Read about the Connecticut River freezing for the first time in decades.