Friends and neighbors,
We live with nuclear power in our back yard and know the benefits and that it has many advantages but few drawbacks. Nuclear is a zero-emission, carbon-free clean energy source. In fact, in just 2019, nuclear energy allowed the United States to avoid more than 476 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Nuclear energy creates an enormous amount of energy using a very small amount of fuel. This results in a small land footprint, which produces more electricity on less land than any other source such as wind or solar.
Safety is a concern brought up in discussion on nuclear power. However, the facts and statistics show it is actually the saftest form of energy production available.
Nuclear waste of spent fuel rods (in the latest research) includes re-cycling and reusing them as an effective source for additional energy.
And in this week’s Senate Energy and Utilities Finance and Policy Committee, we heard several presentations on nuclear energy from industry experts who further highlighted its advantages.
One such testifier, Dr. Ashley Finan, director of the National Reactor Innovation Center led by Idaho National Laboratory, spoke to nuclear energy safety and management.
Finan shared, “I think it is well managed. My concern as a citizen is focused on climate change and how we’re going to achieve energy security and supply for the globe moving forward… I am very concerned with health and safety in general, but I also know advanced nuclear is very safe. Today’s nuclear is very safe. It is the safest form of energy we have.”
I echo Finan’s sentiments on the importance of nuclear energy. As Minnesota works to find affordable, clean, renewable sources of energy, it is critical to keep all options on the table.
In 2020, Minnesota’s two nuclear power plants, Prairie Island and Monticello, safely fueled 26% of the state’s electricity net generation, while emitting no greenhouse gases.
For this reason, I am authoring a bill to fully repeal our state’s ban on the construction of new nuclear power facilities in Minnesota, which has been in effect for over two decades. My proposal does not mandate building any new plants, but instead allows power companies to consider all options.
Therefore, I strongly believe we need low-carbon electricity that is not dependent on the weather or wind and our nuclear power plants provide just that.
Contact me
As always, if have questions or concerns on any legislative topic, feel free to contact me any time. You can call me at 651-296-5655 or send me an email at sen.mary.kiffmeyer@senate.mn. It is a privilege to serve as your state senator.
Sincerely,
Mary