Emerging details about a possible small Canadian nuclear reactor near the North Dakota border has perked interest in the state. The overall reaction has been positive, though few details are available.
It’s possible that SaskPower will build the plant across the border from the Divide County town of Noonan in northwest North Dakota. SaskPower is considering sites in the Estevan region and near Elbow, which is about an hour northwest of Regina, for a small modular reactor.
If the company proceeds with plans for the reactor it will be years before it’s in service. Site selection won’t be finalized until the end of next year. Licensing will take until 2029 to complete, and the reactor won’t be operating until the mid-2030s. It’s possible an additional reactor could be added after the initial project wins approval.
This country’s interest in nuclear power cooled after the partial meltdown of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant in Pennsylvania on March 28, 1979. However, many younger Americans aren’t aware of the accident, and interest in nuclear power has been growing.
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Oregon-based NuScale Power has plans to build a small modular nuclear reactor in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Plans are being developed to build another reactor near Kemmerer, Wyoming, to replace an aging coal plant. Ohio, Texas and Washington state also are considering small reactors.
One of the interim studies by the North Dakota Legislature involves the feasibility of advanced nuclear energy development and transmission in the state. The North Dakota Public Service Commission has discussed small modular reactors in the past with no action taken.
Victor Schock, director of public utilities at the PSC, said the state would like to have a cost-effective, developed technology ready to use instead of trying something new. There’s also the issue of storage of spent nuclear fuel, which can be costly.
State officials have been involved in discussions about nuclear power in conferences and meetings across the country. It’s an appealing option to aging coal plants, which have been the target of clean energy advocates.
Many of the workforce skills at coal plants can be adjusted to nuclear plants. One of the major reasons coal country clings to coal plants relates to jobs. The coal industry has made the area one of the healthiest economic places in the state.
If a possible nuclear reactor near the Canada border prompts a discussion about nuclear power in North Dakota that’s good. The state can’t expect to depend on coal and oil forever. The legislative study provides an opportunity for state officials to delve into the nuclear possibilities.
The public needs to know the pros and cons of nuclear power in North Dakota. It’s unknown if the state will be able to tap into the future power generated by the Canadian reactor. Still, the state can learn from Canada as it develops the reactor.
There’s a future for nuclear power. The question is whether North Dakota will be part of it.
