Sen. Lou Frederick urges clarity on nuclear waste storage costs in hearing on SB 577

Sen. Lou Frederick urged the House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment on May 15 to require utilities and developers to disclose the costs and plans for storing radioactive waste if they pursue small modular nuclear reactors.

The bill, Senate Bill 577, "requires an electric utility to recover the costs associated with storing waste generated by electric facilities as part of their rates," and the draft -1 amendment would require utilities to disclose to customers “the costs it recovers in its rates for storing the waste they produce in generating electricity,” a staff summary told the committee.

Frederick said the proposal responds to historical problems in the Pacific Northwest with underestimated nuclear project costs and the longstanding lack of an accepted storage solution. "If a utility decides that it's going to bring in small modular nuclear reactors, they need to know, we need to know how much it's going to cost, who's going to pay for them, and where they're going to put the waste," Frederick said. He cited past regional experiences — including the Washington Public Power Supply System, Trojan and Hanford — and noted that Oregon voters in 1980 approved a constitutional restriction barring new nuclear plants unless a storage solution existed.

Committee chair Trey Lively opened and closed the public hearing after Frederick's testimony; one person who had signed up to testify, Eugene Rizzoli, did not appear during the hearing. The committee did not take a vote on SB 577 during the session and closed the hearing after the scheduled presenters concluded.

The testimony focused on disclosure of long-term waste-storage costs and site plans rather than on technical safety standards or permitting pathways. Frederick repeatedly framed the bill as a transparency measure: "If you're going to store it at the site, then say that. But say figure out how much it's gonna cost to store it for the length of time you need to store. This is what this bill is basically asking. How much is it gonna cost? Who's gonna pay for it? And where are you gonna put the waste?"

Committee members asked brief clarifying questions and expressed interest in working with the senator; no motion or formal action on the bill was recorded at the hearing.

The hearing record shows the committee received background from staff and a single detailed witness statement from Senator Frederick; one signed public witness did not appear. The committee indicated it would revisit the bill in subsequent work sessions or hearings.