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Assembly committee debates and ultimately stalls Gallagher’s microreactor carve-out to the nuclear moratorium
Summary
The Natural Resources Committee heard hours of testimony on AB 17 57, a proposal to allow factory-built microreactors in California. Supporters cited grid resilience and low emissions; opponents warned of high costs, waste-transport gaps and public-safety risks. The measure failed to advance on the day’s vote.
Assemblymember Gallagher introduced AB 17 57 as a limited carve-out from California’s moratorium on new nuclear facilities to permit microreactors for specific uses. Gallagher said the bill does not "exempt from CEQA or from local control" but would allow targeted, factory-built units to be considered under state policy.
Radiant Nuclear’s Rita Barinwald, the company’s chief nuclear officer, described the technology and said Radiant’s Kaleidos microreactor is a 1-megawatt, factory-built unit. She told the committee, “This bill would modernize California's energy policy without compromising safety or environmental standards,” and said the company’s approach returns spent fuel to a central facility rather than…
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