HF 235

as introduced - 79th Legislature (1995 - 1996) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to utilities; requiring utilities that 
  1.3             generate nuclear power in the state to submit schedule 
  1.4             to build nuclear power reactors that use high-level 
  1.5             radioactive waste as fuel; requiring department of 
  1.6             public service to recommend funding options for 
  1.7             building the reactors; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.8             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 216B. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  [216B.2425] [NUCLEAR POWER MANDATE.] 
  1.11     Subdivision 1.  [LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.] The legislature 
  1.12  finds that: 
  1.13     (1) nuclear power has been a very efficient source of clean 
  1.14  energy and should continue in that role; 
  1.15     (2) concern over the waste created by nuclear power 
  1.16  reactors currently in use has affected the continued use of 
  1.17  nuclear power; 
  1.18     (3) the federal government has failed in its responsibility 
  1.19  to provide for long-term storage for high-level radioactive 
  1.20  waste; and 
  1.21     (4) nuclear power reactor technology exists today, such as 
  1.22  the integral fast reactor, which can use the waste created by 
  1.23  nuclear power reactors currently in use in the state as fuel to 
  1.24  generate additional electricity. 
  1.25     Subd. 2.  [SCHEDULE FOR NEW REACTOR.] By January 1, 1996, 
  1.26  all utilities generating nuclear waste in the state shall submit 
  1.27  a schedule for completion and implementation, no later than 
  2.1   January 1, 2010, of a nuclear power reactor, such as the 
  2.2   integral fast reactor, that will use the waste created by 
  2.3   nuclear power reactors currently in use, as fuel to generate 
  2.4   additional electricity. 
  2.5      Subd. 3.  [FUNDING FOR NEW REACTOR.] By January 1, 1996, 
  2.6   the department of public service shall report to the legislature 
  2.7   its recommendations for funding the creation and implementation 
  2.8   of a nuclear reactor described in subdivision 2.  The department 
  2.9   shall also initiate discussions with the federal government 
  2.10  concerning a waiver to allow the utilization of funds now used 
  2.11  to pay for locating a permanent high-level radioactive 
  2.12  repository and include a summary of those discussions in the 
  2.13  report.