This article was reported by NJ State House News Service, a nonprofit publishing partner of NJ Spotlight News.
Amid soaring electricity costs, an Assembly committee unanimously approved a bill to foster construction of nuclear power generators.
New Jersey has three reactors at two plants, which account for about 40% of the state’s electric power generation. Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who supports nuclear expansion, in April did away with rules on radioactive waste storage, a policy that had prevented development of more plants.
The bill approved Monday, known as the Power NJ Act, would direct the Board of Public Utilities and the state Economic Development Authority “to procure advanced nuclear energy facilities within the state.”
That would help curb the rising cost of electric power, supporters say. Opponents, though, told the Assembly State and Local Government Committee about pitfalls including affordability and long development times.
“There are better, cheaper, faster, cleaner options out there,” said David Pringle from Empower NJ, a coalition of advocacy groups. Pringle mentioned choices like hydrothermal, wind and solar as potential energy sources.
Doug O’Malley, state director of the nonprofit Environment New Jersey, shared Pringle’s concerns, noting “the dollars we spend on nuclear are dollars we do not spend on other sources of generation.”
Pringle and O’Malley urged the committee to consider energy options that could be used more immediately. “It can’t happen fast enough. We’re talking 10 years if we’re dreaming — probably closer to 20,” Pringle said. “And the affordability crisis is now.”
The need for cheaper, more efficient electricity comes as energy-hungry data centers put pressure on the regional supply grid.
“There can be no doubt that data centers are driving the surge in demand,” said David Wand, assistant deputy of the Division of the Rate Counsel, which represents consumer interests. “This bill, rather than ensure data centers pay for their fair share, has New Jersey’s ratepayers subsidizing data centers.”
He added: “Ratepayers are not the driving force behind the significant increase in demand, and they should not be the one shouldering the cost, nor the risk, to build generation just to meet data center-driven demand.”
Others spoke in favor of the bill, calling nuclear power a necessary and modern approach to electricity supply.
“We’re going to need this power 10 years from now when it’s going to be ready,” said Ray Canter, deputy chief government affairs officer of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association.
Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak, (D-Middlesex), chairman of the committee, called nuclear “a longer-term solution.”
“You have to look at the big picture on all of this,” Karabinchak said. “We’re looking to change the way New Jersey creates energy and uses it.”
An identical bill passed unanimously in a Senate committee on June 8.
