The Wisconsin State Senate in 23-9 vote Tuesday approved legislation that would lift the state’s 33-year ban on building new nuclear power plants, advancing the bill to Gov. Scott Walker for final approval.
Wisconsin currently prohibits the construction of new plants because the federal government has not established a storage facility capable of taking nuclear waste from states. In addition to lifting the ban, the Republican bill realigns the state’s energy priorities, moving nuclear ahead of nonrenewable energy sources but behind renewables. The 1,000-megawatt capacity Point Beach Nuclear Plant, which was commissioned in 1970, is Wisconsin’s only operational nuclear plant.
Bill author Rep. Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca) and supporters have emphasized energy and cost efficiency provided by nuclear power, along with the prospect of new jobs, while opponents claim they are ignoring less risky alternatives such as wind and solar.
Four Democratic senators — Dave Hansen, Julie Lassa, Janis Ringhand, and Jennifer Shilling — sided with Republicans in supporting the bill.
After introducing the legislation in October, Petersen argued that lifting the ban does not mean Wisconsin is required to build another nuclear plant. Instead, he said, it expands the state’s list of energy alternatives, making nuclear an option.
“We’re not taking away energy and conservation efficiency,” he said in January. “We’re not taking away renewable sources. They still stay above advanced nuclear in the state’s energy policy. … We’re going to have the discussions on what’s the best source of energy and cost-efficiency moving forward in the state of Wisconsin.”
If approved by Walker, the state’s energy priorities would be aligned as follows: 1) energy conservation and efficiency; 2) noncombustible renewable energy resources; 3) combustible renewable energy resources; and 4) nonrenewable combustible energy resources.
