Minnesota debates lifting ban on new nuclear power plants

Minnesota lawmakers are debating whether to lift a three-decade ban on the building of new nuclear power plants in the state. On Thursday (March 13), the House Energy Committee heard the arguments of supporters and opponents of the proposed measure. The former underlined the essential role of nuclear power for a clean energy transition, while the latter expressed their concerns about costs and safety. Republican lawmakers secured a vote on the proposal in the House, but its prospects are uncertain. Approval could depend on the support of the Prairie Island Indian Community, which lives near an existing plant. A tribal representative had encouraging conversations with the author of the proposal, but the community needs more assurances before taking a definite position on the matter. Prairie Island is about 700 yards from a nuclear power plant built without tribal consent fifty years ago. The site also stores over 1000 tons of radioactive waste.
Minnesota has two active nuclear power plants. Both were built in the 1970s, a two-reactor near Prairie Island and a one-reactor in Monticello. No new plant has been built since the approval of a moratorium in 1994. In 2023 the state legislature passed a bill requiring all local energy to be carbon neutral by 2040, and nuclear appears as a key component to reach such a goal. Some members of the House Energy Committee show interest in the proposed lifting of the ban but want more assurances about safety, radioactive waste, and costs before backing it. According to Athena Hollins, Democratic Farmer-Labor (DFL) Representative for St. Paul, there is especially concern about waste and the tendency to put it near vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. Energy companies also seem divided on the issue. Xcel Energy, which runs the two existing plants in the state, supports an expansion of nuclear power in Minnesota but has not publicly endorsed the proposed lifting of the moratorium. Minnesota Power, the main electricity provider in the northeast of the state, said instead that Minnesota should be cautious and consider carefully all options before ending the ban.