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.
