An interim Legislative committee has begun its study of nuclear energy for North Dakota.
The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee drew a lot of interest among legislators who wanted to serve on the committee.
"I can tell you this is one of two committees, out of the 20-plus committees that we have, where people who made this their number one choice, we could not accommodate all those folks who made it their number one choice," said Senate Majority Leader David Hogue (R-Minot).
Rep. Alisa Mitzkog (D-Wahpeton) is one of the appointees.
"I've been intrigued since I was elected about North Dakota's innovations in energy," Mitzkog said. "And this is an area we are missing out on."
Mitzkog said she is happy to have a seat at the table, to look at nuclear.
"We've got to get in the race," Mitzkog said.
THE 'Nuclear Option'
A representative of a group pushing for nuclear power expansion and innovation testified the growing demand for power has a number of companies looking to nuclear power.
"When you look at our energy forecast, AI and data centers alone are driving the energy demand," said Michelle Zietlow-Miller, the public engagement manager for "Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear. "That's an equivalent of being the sixth largest country by themselves, in 2026."
Zietlow-Miller said that's growing as coal plants are retiring, and more electric vehicles are coming on-line. She told the Legislature’s interim Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee nuclear appeals to
some power companies, because it’s a clean technology, with no emissions.
"When you look at uranium, which is what fuels our reactors, the reason they're interested is energy density," Zietlow-Miller told the committee. "How many folks have bought gummy bears for your kids and grandkids? You know how small they are. A gummy bear is about the size of a uranium pellet. And that uranium pellet has about the same amount of energy as a ton of coal, 150 gallons of oil, and 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas."
The Committee will hire a consultant to help with the study.