WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Minnesota State Senate today passed a repeal of the state’s moratorium on new nuclear power generation by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 50-14. Following is a statement from the Nuclear Energy Institute’s Marshall Cohen, senior director for state and local government affairs:
“Today’s action in the Minnesota Senate represents an important political consensus of the merits of broadening the clean energy options for Minnesotans going forward. Repealing a moratorium in Minnesota or elsewhere does not represent a commitment to building new nuclear energy facilities. But it is an important recognition that a broad portfolio of clean generating technologies is in any state’s best interests.
“Across the country, there is increasing recognition of the role that nuclear energy can play in meeting ambitious clean energy goals. Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch is to be commended for her leadership in securing overwhelming bipartisan support for this measure.”
[Minnesota’s nuclear moratorium has been in place since 1994. One moratorium repeal bill already has passed a state House committee, with action on that bill expected to be taken up by another House committee next week.]