For decades, Hawaiʻi has said no to nuclear power. But advancements in nuclear technology and pressures to shift Hawaiʻi away from costly oil have prompted some lawmakers to revisit the nuclear question.
Last session, the state Legislature directed the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office to convene a working group to explore whether new forms of nuclear energy production, like small modular reactors and microreactors, could be a good fit for Hawaiʻi.
These new technologies take up a significantly smaller footprint than conventional nuclear facilities like Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania. Small modular reactors can be less than a third the size of a conventional reactor, and new microreactors are being developed to fit inside shipping containers.
A nuclear plant can also produce power 24 hours a day regardless of weather conditions, unlike wind or solar farms, and emits zero carbon emissions during operation.
Despite these advantages, the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office determined advanced nuclear technologies are not appropriate for Hawaiʻi at this time.
The Energy Office's Monique Zanfes led the working group and produced its final report. Zanfes told HPR that these new technologies show more promise than conventional nuclear power, but they are still too nascent to be a worthwhile investment.
Only a handful of small modular reactors are in operation in the world, and none of them are in the U.S. Zanfes said even working group members who see a potential role for nuclear power in Hawaiʻi’s future don’t want the state to be "the guinea pig" for new nuclear technology.
And right now, the electricity produced by advanced nuclear technologies isn't any cheaper than oil generation.
"We certainly do not want to introduce a new technology that is going to cost more for ratepayers," Zanfes said.
Working group weighs concerns
The working group included state agency representatives, industry experts, and environmental advocates.
Zanfes said there was consensus among the group that advanced nuclear technologies need to develop further before they can be a cost-effective energy solution for Hawaiʻi.
But some group members disagreed on some of the finer points, like the threat posed by nuclear waste.
The U.S. has no permanent, long-term place to store spent nuclear fuel, which remains extremely radioactive after use.
Any nuclear waste produced by a local nuclear facility may need to be cooled and stored onsite or somewhere in the state.
Zanfes said some members of the group expressed concerns that long-term storage of nuclear waste in the islands could pose a serious contamination risk to our environment.
"If radiation gets into soils or the atmosphere, there's a chance that plants could take it and then it gets transferred up through the food chain. If it gets into our aquifers, it can dissipate across underground geology," she said.
Others in the group countered by pointing out that nuclear waste is safely stored at a number of sites across the U.S.
Working group member Jack Shriver spent over 20 years in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear submarine officer and operated naval nuclear plants during that time. He thinks the hurdles around the storage and transport of nuclear waste are "very manageable."
"All of the nuclear waste is contained, and you can point to it and say, that is the waste right there in that container," he said. "If you compare that to any other energy source, in particular fossil fuels, you can't point to it. It's out there in the environment, right?"
But the Pacific is home to more than one example of nuclear contamination.
The U.S. conducted 67 nuclear weapon tests in the Republic of the Marshall Islands between 1946 and 1958. The Energy Office’s report notes that the Marshall Islands still experience radiation impacts to this day. Similar impacts have been felt in Tahiti, Guam, and other Pacific nations.
"In the Pacific in particular, we have people who have direct experience with radioactive waste," Zanfes said.
While Zanfes noted that "the peaceful production of energy is very different then defense related testing," she said those experiences have understandably shaped public perception of nuclear power and should not be disregarded.
Lawmakers’ next move
Over the last 15 years, lawmakers have repeatedly introduced bills to create nuclear commissions or conduct feasibility studies on nuclear power, but those measures have rarely gained traction.
Many of those bills have come across the desk of state Rep. Nicole Lowen, who chairs the House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee.
Lowen said she agrees with the Energy Office’s conclusion that nuclear energy doesn't make sense for Hawaiʻi right now. But she added that she thinks the national conversation around nuclear energy is changing.
"There's just been a lot more focus nationally in getting off of fossil fuels. I think that nuclear has a role to play in that," she said.
While the Trump administration has shown no interest in limiting fossil fuel use, the White House has been supportive of expanding nuclear energy production.
The U.S. Department of Energy released a memo on Tuesday that lays out plans for "America’s next nuclear renaissance."
But Lowen said she needs to see evidence that nuclear energy is cost-effective before she buys into the conversation.
"Any real discussion of it is pending the cost coming down, because until that is something that makes sense, it's sort of like, why open the can of worms?" she said.
State law currently limits the construction of nuclear power plants and the disposal of nuclear waste within Hawaiʻi. The Energy Office is not recommending any amendments to those laws at this time.
Hawaiʻi Sen. Glenn Wakai led calls last session for the Energy Office to convene the working group. He said he still thinks nuclear power has potential to be a part of Hawaiʻi’s grid and hopes that small modular reactors become commercially viable in the near future.
"Hopefully, in the next three to five years, that will develop, and then we can revisit this issue," he said.
Until then, Wakai plans to put the issue on the back burner. He told HPR that this legislative session, he's focusing on grid reliability, reducing energy costs, and geothermal exploration.
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