here’s a push at the Minnesota Capitol to allow for more nuclear power plants in Minnesota. A moratorium on building new facilities has been in place for 30 years.
Rep. Chris Swedzinski (R-Ghent) has introduced a bill to lift the ban on the construction of nuclear power plants and update other statutes about the use of renewable energy sources.
“We have a need for clean power,” said Eric Meyer, the executive director of Generation Atomic, an environmental nonprofit. “It’s a really good opportunity for us to move from our existing fossil fuel-based economy to something cleaner with better jobs.”
His organization has joined with labor unions, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and other trade associations, Dairyland Power and experts to form the Coalition for Minnesota Nuclear. They sent a letter last week to Gov. Tim Walz and the Legislature asking them to “act now” to pass legislation to lift the moratorium.
“I think it’s pretty critical it passes this session because we’ve kicked the can down the road so many times,” said Meyer.
The state set a goal in 2023 of going carbon neutral by 2040. The standard emphasized renewable energy sources, including solar and wind. Meyer argues nuclear will be needed as well to meet the increasing demand on the grid.
“It’s not just getting to 100% by 2040, you have to stay there,” he said. “Our existing nuclear plants, even though they’re in pretty good shape, they’re not going to last forever. We’ll have to build something new at some point, we should at least have the option to replace them with other nuclear plants.”
There are three Xcel Energy nuclear reactors helping power Minnesota. One is near Monticello, while two others are at the Prairie Island facility. All have been operating since the 70s.
“Our reservation sits less than 700 yards away from a plant and over 1,000 tons of nuclear waste stored from that plant,” said Blake Johnson, the government relations specialist for Prairie Island Indian Community, during a House hearing in January. “We are the closest community, Native or non-Native, in the nation to the nuclear power plant and stored nuclear waste.”
He explained they support conservation efforts and the move to clean energy but hopes the implications of producing additional nuclear power are considered as lawmakers make a decision.
“Prairie Island has had a front-row seat to the nation’s failed nuclear storage policy,” said Johnson. “We don’t know when or if the waste will ever be moved.”
The Prairie Island storage was authorized by a 1994 law, which also set the moratorium. At the time, lawmakers wrote, “There is great uncertainty over the means and costs of disposing of radioactive wastes.” The law said that cost warranted the ban.
“The issues raised in 1994 still ring true today,” said Johnson.
Meyer believes getting the support of the Prairie Island Indian Community is essential to moving forward.
He said lifting the ban doesn’t mean power plants will be built any time soon but it allows the state to have an additional option available.
“It allows the public utilities commission and experts at utilities to look at it in more detail and pencil it out does this make sense versus the alternatives,” said Meyer.
Previous attempts to lift the moratorium in recent years have failed. The current bill is moving through the committee process right now.
Prairie Island Indian Community tribal members are expected to have their own informational meeting next week about the efforts to change the law.
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