Nuclear power is hot right now. Technology giants such as Google and Amazon are building plants to power data centers and fuel artificial intelligence. The Biden administration recently announced plans to triple nuclear capacity in the U.S. by 2050 by restarting defunct facilities and opening new plants.
Splitting the atom that produces nuclear energy doesn’t emit carbon pollution, making it attractive to states looking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also provides uninterrupted power, unlike solar panels and wind turbines that require sunlight or a breeze.
But in Maine, where the sole nuclear power plant has been shuttered for nearly three decades, it’s a nonstarter, at least for now. The word “nuclear” doesn’t even appear in the state climate plan, “Maine Can’t Wait.” Policymakers instead focus on wind and solar power, electric vehicles, heat pumps and energy conservation.
“I have not seen that same level of interest we’ve seen elsewhere,” said Dan Dolan, …