Wisconsin lawmakers push nuclear support
A joint resolution under consideration in the Wisconsin legislature aims to declare and promote the state’s support for nuclear power and willingness to deploy additional sources.
The state Senate Joint Resolution 7 was introduced on February 5 by GOP lawmakers Rep. David Steffen and Sen. Julian Bradley, who chair energy-related committees in their respective chambers. In short, the resolution would solidify the state’s support for nuclear and fusion “as clean energy sources that are critical to safely meeting Wisconsin’s growing energy demands,” as well as its commitment to expanding nuclear generation.
The lawmakers plan to file additional legislation to conduct a nuclear siting study and to convene a nuclear summit to showcase Wisconsin’s nuclear research and technology.
Quotable: “Energy demands, driven in particular by AI data centers, are continuing to soar. Wisconsin needs nuclear to meet this challenge,” Steffen said in a news release. “Our state is equipped with the strong research and manufacturing sectors needed to lead on this revolutionary technology, and I look forward to working further on this exciting issue.”
Bradley added, “Nuclear energy has the potential to be the clean and reliable answer to powering our future. The technology surrounding nuclear energy has developed a great deal over the past few decades; it’s safer and more efficient than ever before.”
A closer look: Wisconsin’s sole operating nuclear plant, NextEra’s Point Beach facility, is located on the shores of Lake Michigan north of Manitowoc. NextEra filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2020 for a 20-year subsequent license renewal that would allow the units to operate past 2030 for Unit 1 and 2033 for Unit 2. The application is still pending.
The 1,200-MWe twin pressurized reactors supply about 15 percent of the state’s electricity. Wisconsin relies on coal and natural gas for roughly three-quarters of its energy and gets the remainder from renewable sources, according to the Energy Information Administration.
A 2024 Bisconti survey showed more than 75 percent of residents across the U.S. support the use of nuclear energy. During the same time period, University of Michigan conducted a national survey focused on social media posts that showed 54 percent of Wisconsin residents have a positive attitude toward nuclear—matching the national average in the survey.
Big picture: To learn more about pronuclear legislation under consideration in other states, click here.
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