Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Appropriations panel hears testimony on study of small modular nuclear reactors; committee ultimately votes do-not-pass
Summary
Lawmakers heard hours of testimony on House Bill 10‑25, a proposal to fund a study of microreactors and small modular reactors; proponents emphasized potential for data centers and carbon-free baseload power, opponents questioned the scope and cost. After an amended funding reduction, the committee adopted a do‑not‑pass on the bill.
Chairman Vegasaw opened the Appropriations Committee hearing on House Bill 10‑25, a request to appropriate $500,000 from the general fund (and a matching $500,000 in grants/donations) to study advanced nuclear technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors.
Representative **** Anderson, who introduced the bill, told the committee the study would examine regulations and readiness for siting advanced nuclear units in the state. "I'm pretty excited about small modular reactors and microreactors," Anderson said, arguing they are passive systems that can be factory‑assembled and brought online faster than large plants.
Why it matters: proponents said SMRs could provide carbon‑free baseload or local power for data centers and…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
