Dry-cask containers with radioactive material on the pad at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The nuclear plant was decommissioned in 2019 but 62 casks of radioactive material are still at the site.
- Oregon’s legislature is considering a bill to study the pros and cons of developing nuclear power in the state.
- Proponents believe nuclear energy could supplement wind and solar power and create jobs.
- Oregon has not had a nuclear power plant since the Trojan plant closed in 1993, though it still stores waste from the facility.
Oregon’s legislature is considering a bill that would direct the Oregon Department of Energy to conduct a study of the pros and cons of developing nuclear power in Oregon.
State Rep. Gerald “Boomer” Wright, R-Reedsport, a chief sponsor of the bill, said, “It is becoming increasingly more clear” that solar and wind energy won’t be enough to meet Oregon’s energy needs in an emergency, and he believes “nuclear energy has the potential to be a significant source of clean energy here in Oregon,” adding its development would bring jobs to the state.
Nuclear power generation does not emit greenhouse gases, but does come with troublesome byproducts that remain radioactive for hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of years.
Wright acknowledged many Oregonians have doubts about nuclear energy, but he hopes the study created by House Bill 4046 will “help the public and policy makers have informed conversations about whether nuclear could be a viable and reasonable compliment to renewables in our state.”
According to HB 4046, ODE would look at:
- “Advanced nuclear reactor technology” including the types and sizes of reactors and how they may be regulated.
- “The feasibility of constructing advanced nuclear reactors in Oregon” including how long nuclear projects take, how expensive they are and their risks and benefits.
- The potential impacts of nuclear energy “on economic growth and workforce development” in Oregon.
- How other states have handled nuclear waste, including “existing methods, locations and safety records” of other storage facilities.
- “All existing Oregon state statutes and rules applicable to nuclear energy generation” including “siting, permitting, safety, operations, decommissioning and waste management.”
The bill would create a new “Nuclear Energy Study Fund” to pay for the study. It would be funded with a combination of federal, private and other public sources and these funding sources would be publicly reported.
According to the bill, ODE will consult the Pacific Northwest Electric Power and Conservation Planning Council, Oregon State University, tribes, and other state agencies while developing the study.
Does Oregon currently use nuclear power?
There’s been no nuclear power plant in Oregon since Portland General Electric closed the Trojan plant in Columbia County in 1993 and decommissioned it in 2005, according to PGE. Waste from the plant is still stored onsite.
A share of the power used in Oregon comes from the Columbia Generating Station in Washington. The Northwest faces increasing challenges to meeting power demand. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Long-Term Reliability Assessment published in January warns Oregon, Montana and Washington, along with parts of Idaho and northern California, are at risk of not having enough energy by 2029.
On Feb. 12, legislators in Oregon’s Climate, Energy, and Environment committee unanimously voted to move the measure forward. Next, the bill will be considered by the legislature’s Ways and Means committee.
Isn’t Lane County a Nuclear Free Zone?
If you’ve driven into Lane County in the last four decades, you may have noticed that some of the signs welcoming residents and visitors across the county lines inform travelers they are entering a “Nuclear Free Zone.” In 1986, voters approved in Lane County a ballot measure giving Lane County this designation.
However the measure only says people in Lane County “may not design, develop, manufacture, produce, test, maintain or store nuclear weapons or their components within the County.” The measure doesn’t prohibit nuclear power.