Nuclear energy is seeing something of a renaissance, helped in part by executive orders from President Donald Trump boosting the industry. The four orders include rapid development and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies, reconsidering radiation exposure standards, eliminating or expediting environmental reviews of applications and funding for workforce-related opportunities. Big tech companies are also betting big on nuclear energy to fuel power-hungry data centers.

Investment firm Starwood Digital Ventures is currently pitching a massive data center for Delaware City. Critics are concerned it will drain large amounts of energy and water.

Kathryn Lienhard, an offshore wind energy research associate with Delaware Sea Grant, said nuclear power generates electricity through chain reactions that produce heat. That heat is used to make steam that spins a turbine to create the electricity. Reactors use uranium, which is radioactive, for nuclear fuel, and exposure can cause lung cancer and other diseases. Spent reactor fuel is a highly radioactive byproduct that is normally stored on site, but Lienhard said the U.S. has yet to develop a long-term storage solution for the waste.

Public anxiety about the harmful health effects of nuclear power plants grew after the worst commercial reactor accident in U.S. history at the Three Mile Island plant in 1979. The partial core meltdown at the plant near Middletown, Pennsylvania, forced the evacuation of thousands of nearby residents. Numerous studies since then found no direct negative health effects on the nearby population. Microsoft is reopening the plant to power its data centers.

Union boilermaker Martin Willis, another task force member, said members should look at deploying a small nuclear reactor at the Dover Air Force Base. He also said the public is still resistant to adopting nuclear energy.

“I hate to say it, but even with America being in an electric generation crisis because of the demands of AI data centers, Bitcoin mining, cannabis farming and a robust economy, our nation will not embrace civilian nuclear power until parts of America suffer widespread blackouts and rolling brownouts,” he said.

The task force’s next meeting is Dec. 1. The group’s chair, state Sen. Stephanie Hansen, said the group will deliver a final report, but that date is yet to be determined.

Former state Rep. John Kowalko, an unapologetic voice for Delaware’s progressive movement and a longtime advocate for government transparency, died Oct. 25 at the age 80.

Kowalko, sometimes called the “Bernie Sanders of Delaware,” represented Newark’s 25th District — home to the University of Delaware — from 2006 until his retirement in 2022. Known for his blunt style and fierce defense of the poor and working class, Kowalko was the most outspoken progressive in the 41-member House, long before the rise of the newer progressive wave that followed the 2020 elections.

During his tenure, he was a tireless champion of public education and open government. As a member of the Delaware Coalition for Open Government, Kowalko pressed officials for transparency and accountability, notably seeking answers about embezzlement issues within the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund.

Even after retiring, Kowalko continued his activism. He co-founded Retirees Investing in Social Equity (RISE) Delaware, which helped block the introduction of Medicare Advantage into the state employees’ retirement health plan. Earlier this year, he celebrated a personal milestone when the long-sought Inspector General bill, an initiative he had championed for two decades, was signed into law by Gov. Matt Meyer.

FROM JOHN KOWALKO: Amid Trump’s abusive cuts, I stand with science. We all should, Delaware | Opinion

In a joint statement, Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola, Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, and Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman praised Kowalko’s decades of service and dedication to Delaware’s working families. They said Kowalko consistently fought for progressive priorities with conviction and compassion, earning deep respect among colleagues and constituents alike.

The Senate leaders added that Kowalko’s unwavering commitment to open government helped shape a culture of greater transparency in Dover.

To share your community news and activities with our audience, join Delaware Voices Uplifted on Facebook. Nonprofits, community groups and service providers are welcome to submit their information to be added to our Community Resources Map. Contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.

This story was produced by Spotlight Delaware as part of a partnership with Delaware Online/The News Journal. For more about Spotlight Delaware, visit www.spotlightdelaware.org.

A state board charged with examining opioid overdoses found that expanding treatment options, police officer training and shelter access could reduce the number of deaths for Delawareans battling mental illnesses along with addiction. 

The Delaware Overdose Fatality Review Commission, which does not have public meetings, released its annual report on Oct. 21, reviewing a sample of 103 overdoses from 2022 to create recommendations for how state leaders can best address opioid deaths in the First State. 

The state saw 338 fatal drug overdoses last year, a roughly 36% decrease compared to 2023. For years, Delaware ranked as one of the hardest-hit states in the nation on a per-capita basis, but the figures represent a second straight year of decreases and the lowest annual total since 2017.

In the commission’s report, it conceded its sample is not perfect, and that there were obstacles in securing more complete data. One of those obstacles, the report said, was securing data from the state’s largest hospital. 

“Notably, data from ChristianaCare was unavailable for this report and the 2022 dataset, which further limits the completeness of the overall information,” the report said. 

The commission’s director, Julia Lawes, said in an email the hospital did provide the data, but not in a “timely manner” due to a third-party service provider. However, Lawes said the issue had been addressed and measures were put in place to prevent it from happening in the future. 

The report also said there were 58 people excluded from the data because the commission was only able to obtain their death certificates and limited information about their circumstances. The report speculates this could mean these individuals did not interact with various medical providers or law enforcement prior to their deaths. 

According to the report, the average person who died from an overdose in 2022 was a 42-year-old white male, and most people had high school diplomas and worked in construction. 

The data also said that nearly 92% of people who died of a fatal overdose had fentanyl in their systems. 

What did the commission recommend?

One of the commission’s first recommendations was that Delaware providers expand treatment options and improve follow-ups for those battling mental illnesses as well as addiction. 

The report said services in the state can be “fragmented and disjointed,” and it recommends expanding the continuum of care to better serve patients. When asked about whether that meant stronger communication between providers or consolidating their services, Lawes said it could be both. 

“Ultimately, we’d love to see improved care coordination across the board throughout the state, so people can more easily access the full range of services they need,” Lawes said. 

Another recommendation from the commission includes improving training for law enforcement when it comes to interacting with those who may be struggling with addiction and have a mental illness. 

This training, the report said, could include partnering with different diversion programs that keep people out of the justice system and guide people to the appropriate care. 

An additional recommendation included expanding access to shelter services for people who are homeless. According to the report, nearly half the people in the sample were either unhoused or housing-insecure, meaning they had no identified residence. 

The report stressed its support of “housing first” models that support placing people who are homeless into permanent living arrangements.

But the report also said that model could face “implementation challenges” following an executive order that bars federal agencies from funding programs that use housing first policies. 

Data from the commission’s sample found that of those who were homeless prior to their death, 10% had accessed treatment or services through a shelter, with the lowest shelter use in Kent and Sussex counties. 

The report pointed to a lack of public transportation in the two counties and recommended creating dedicated shuttle routes for “high-need” areas and partnering with ride-share companies to provide vouchers for trips to medical or treatment appointments. 

“These measures could help ensure that individuals are not denied access to life-saving treatment and recovery support simply because they lack transportation,” the report said.

Get stories like this delivered to your email inbox by signing up for the free newsletter at spotlightdelaware.org/subscribe.