Zoning commission hears presentation on small modular reactors; public engagement increases

The Woodbury County Zoning Commission and planning staff reported to supervisors on March 3 that a recent public meeting drew an increased audience for a presentation on nuclear options and small modular reactors.

Dan Priestley, planning and zoning director, summarized the meeting and said Stephen Curtis, who has decades of experience in the nuclear industry, provided an overview of technology, safety, timelines and fuel options. Curtis told attendees that development of an industrial-scale reactor could take roughly 10 years from start to finish, and he discussed the possibility of using spent or slightly used nuclear fuel in newer fast-reactor designs. Priestley said the commission is exploring existing ordinance language — specifically a conditional-use pathway — that could apply to electrical energy generation and related facilities and that the commission plans a reconvening next month and more public outreach.

Supervisors who attended the meeting reported that Curtis described national-level interest in expanding industrial power capacity and that federal actions could accelerate permitting and funding for energy projects. Priestley said the Zoning Commission intends to continue soliciting public input and will form a more formal recommendation in coming meetings. The video of the Zoning Commission meeting is available on the county’s Zoning Commission Committee page, staff noted.