Gov. Tony Evers has signed two bills to advance the state’s nuclear energy landscape. Both were supported by the Wisconsin Technology Council.
The first (Senate Bill 124) requires a study of nuclear energy opportunities and potential nuclear power and fusion sites in Wisconsin and creating a Nuclear Power Summit Board designed to help advance nuclear power and fusion technology and development and showcase Wisconsin’s leadership in the nuclear industry. The board will host a Wisconsin nuclear power summit in Madison to advance knowledge of fission and fusion technologies and to showcase Wisconsin’s overall leadership and innovation in the nuclear industry.
The second (Senate Bill 125) requires the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to conduct a nuclear power siting study to meet the state’s growing need for carbon-free energy. It calls for evaluating existing nuclear energy opportunities as part of the state’s energy portfolio. It also calls for identifying sites for the development and demonstration of nuclear power and fusion. The budget includes $2 million to fund the study.
“We can’t afford to choose between mitigating climate change and protecting our environment or creating good-paying jobs and building a strong economy,” Evers said July 2 in signing the bills. “We must continue our efforts to help lower energy costs and improve energy independence by reducing our reliance out-of-state energy sources, and these bills are an important step in the right direction.”
Tech Council President Tom Still lauded the bipartisan approach of the legislation and the governor’s signing, and noted Wisconsin has a long history of nuclear fission research and development as well as nuclear fusion research and applications.
For example, the UW-Madison College of Engineering’s Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics has one of the nation’s few remaining teaching and research reactors. It is also ranked No. 2 among all U.S. public universities in undergraduate and graduate education. Several companies with Wisconsin roots or operations are SHINE Technologies, Realta Fusion and Type One Energy.
In addition, some Wisconsin-based utilities are exploring the possibility of building small module nuclear fission reactors to power the future.
“These bill signings are the latest example of leveraging Wisconsin expertise at the education, research and application levels to help people statewide and beyond,” Still said.
