A new nuclear era? Minnesota revisits its three-decade ban

[Marlin]

A new nuclear era? Minnesota revisits its three-decade ban

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/nation-world/national/article316420274.html

[Core Content]

The Sherco coal plant, shown in 2023 in Becker, Minnesota. (Anthony Souffle/The Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS)

Minnesota legislators have approved $500,000 for a study to evaluate the feasibility of new nuclear power plants in the state. This action follows a push by Sherburne County officials to host nuclear reactors at a retiring coal plant site, potentially challenging the state's 32-year moratorium on new nuclear development.

The study will examine the costs and environmental impacts of both conventional reactors and small modular designs. For the industry, the move highlights the ongoing debate over integrating nuclear baseload power into grids dominated by intermittent renewables. Stakeholders remain divided over waste storage concerns, economic viability, and the potential for federal policy shifts to influence state-level energy planning.

MINNEAPOLIS - Six decades ago, Sherburne County made history when it became home to the nation's fir...

Sitting uphill from the Mississippi River and towering over Highway 10, the Elk River facility ran for four years before being scrapped because of system defects and high costs. But it was considered a success - a federal pilot project that revealed small reactors weren't economical at the time.

Now, the same county at the forefront of nuclear 60 years ago hopes to assume that spot again: County leaders are vying to be among the first in the country to potentially house a nuclear reactor at a shuttering coal plant, specifically Sherco in Becker.

Read the full article at Fresno Bee:
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/nation-world/national/article316420274.html