A bipartisan band of legislators wants to study the impact of developing new nuclear power technology in Minnesota to inform their future policy decisions.
Minnesota since 1994 has had a moratorium on construction of new nuclear power facilities, though it allows the state’s two existing plants to generate energy. Nuclear power qualifies as one of the sources Minnesota utilities can use to transition to 100% carbon-free energy by 2040 — a law Gov. Tim Walz signed Tuesday.
Legislators say now is the time to learn more about modern nuclear technology’s impact, cost and potential benefit for Minnesota. Lawmakers could then use the study to determine whether lifting the nuclear moratorium is in Minnesota’s best interest.
At least 12 states have a moratorium on construction of new nuclear power facilities. Nuclear energy produced 24% of Minnesota’s electricity in 2021, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Sen. Andrew Mathews, a Republican from Princeton and chief author of a bill that would mandate the study, said nuclear is a reliable source of energy that Minnesota will need as the state’s utilities shift to carbon-free energy.
“This hopefully (opens) the door to policy changes down the road,” Mathews told the Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate Committee on Wednesday.
The bill (SF1171) would study “advanced nuclear technology” — a broad term that allows researchers to examine a wide variety of emerging and current nuclear technology. In addition, Mathews said small nuclear reactors — a more versatile and cheaper form of reactor — would be “a major component” of the study.
The state’s two nuclear power plants — in Monticello and adjacent to the Prairie Island Indian Community about 30 miles southeast of the Twin Cities — are both owned by Xcel Energy.
Nuclear power plants are licensed by the federal government, and last month Xcel Energy submitted an application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend its operating license for the Monticello plant to 2050. The licenses for both reactors at Prairie Island are set to expire in 2033 and 2034.
The study, which would be conducted by a third party and not a state agency, would analyze the potential impacts of advanced nuclear technology on Minnesota’s environment, economic development and electricity reliability and affordability. The legislation also states the study would research technology to minimize the environmental impact of nuclear waste and “the costs of managing nuclear waste.”
The latter requirement was amended into the bill at the behest of the Prairie Island Indian Community, which is located 700 yards away from Xcel Energy’s nuclear plant near Red Wing. Xcel Energy stores nuclear waste at its Prairie Island plant. The federal government was supposed to remove the waste decades ago. Some residents believe living close to the waste is bad for their health, MPR News reported.
“We want to be clear that the Prairie Island Indian Community does not oppose nuclear power. However, until there is a mechanism in place for the safe storage of nuclear waste, we will not support the construction of new nuclear power and, by extension, the creation of new nuclear waste,” Prairie Island Indian Community tribal officials wrote in testimony to lawmakers.
Xcel Energy in written testimony said it welcomes the study and supports adding advanced nuclear sources to its portfolio.
The bill would allocate $300,000 for the study, which would be completed and sent to lawmakers by January 2025.
The Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate Committee on Wednesday laid the bill over to include in a future budget bill.
Source: Minnesota Reformer
