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Senate committee tables bill to count nuclear in state renewable standard after heated debate
Summary
A Senate committee debated SB 78 — which would allow nuclear energy to count toward the state's renewable/low‑carbon portfolio — hearing technical defenses of nuclear as dispatchable power and concerns about waste, uranium mining and statutory definitions; the committee ultimately tabled the measure 6‑3.
A state Senate committee on Thursday tabled Senate Bill 78, which would have allowed nuclear energy to be treated as an eligible technology under the state's renewable or low‑carbon portfolio standard, after extended questioning and partisan debate.
Supporters, led by sponsor Senator Thornton, argued the bill merely opens planning options for dispatchable, always‑available power. Thornton said the measure “just says now we can start planning for nuclear,” arguing that nuclear — especially small modular reactors — can help utilities meet the state's 2050 zero‑carbon target. He and his technical witness emphasized limits of battery storage and intermittency of solar and wind, noting that batteries commonly provide only a few hours of backup…
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