Senate hearing yields split views on studying small modular nuclear reactors

Jan 30, 2026

Senator Bearden urged a PSC study of small modular reactors (SMRs) as a power option for data centers, manufacturing and desalination; environmentalists warned of cost and waste risks while labor representatives said Georgia now has the workforce to build SMRs. The committee retained materials for future consideration.

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Senator Bearden asked the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee to urge the Public Service Commission to study advanced nuclear technology, including small modular reactors (SMRs), arguing the technology could supply power for data centers, manufacturing and desalination and positioning Georgia to attract future projects. "These small modular reactors...can have footprints on about 30 acres of land, safer, cheaper, and the power that they can produce will be great for anything from manufacturing...we have a large surge of data centers," Bearden said.

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