States stand in the way of a nuclear energy renaissance

The federal government has removed some of the barriers that have made nuclear reactors too costly and time-consuming to build. But that’s just one layer of bureaucracy.

America cannot revive its once-thriving nuclear industry unless more states get out of the way. Yet, in recent weeks, too many state legislatures have adjourned for the year with mixed results.

While the feds have exclusive authority to license reactors and regulate their safety mechanisms, states control where plants are located, how they are financed and how public utilities incorporate nuclear power into energy grids. All that comes with onerous permitting requirements and lengthy approval processes that make construction more expensive and raise the risk for investors that projects will never come to fruition.

Many states are eager to build new plants, especially given the intense demand for new energy amid the data center boom. That includes multiple states that previously banned new reactors, including New Jersey and Illinois.

More will be needed to actually get them operational.

Texas has led the way in clearing blockages to nuclear construction. Last year, it passed legislation establishing a single office that would coordinate the state’s permitting process for advanced reactor projects. It also created a $350 million fund to help offset application fees and early-stage costs, such as for feasibility studies. That strategy was modeled on how the Lone Star State successfully built out natural gas capacity.

A handful of states such as Iowa, Missouri and West Virginia have subsequently sought to establish their own centralized offices to help shepherd nuclear power, though with little success.

In blue Colorado, a bill championed by Democratic state Rep. Alex Valdez sought to streamline development of nuclear projects. It was modeled off the Texas law and won bipartisan support in committee, but it failed to pass before the end of this year’s legislative session.

Regulations are not the only challenge facing nuclear projects. Critics point out that advanced reactor designs have yet to prove commercially successful. This includes the small modular reactors that have generated so much excitement from tech giants, including Amazon, whose executive chairman Jeff Bezos owns The Post.

Nevertheless, while bipartisan coalitions clearly see the great potential of this clean energy source, it’s unfortunate that so many states aren’t doing all they can to unleash it.