WCEC wrote to Governor Bob Ferguson to share concerns about the development of nuclear energy facilities in Washington — particularly Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) — and to request the governor’s positions on six key questions covering cost, safety, waste storage, and tribal opposition. The letter argues Washington can meet its climate goals using solar, wind, batteries, hydro, and geothermal, without the cost and risks of nuclear.
- Nuclear energy costs roughly 3–5× more than other sources; $25M in Washington taxpayer money was allocated in 2023–25 to support SMR development, and a 2026 tax abatement supports a Richland nuclear fuel plant.
- SMRs require fuel enriched up to 20% (vs 5% for large reactors), producing spent fuel that is more dangerous and lacking any long-term US storage solution.
- The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation have stated they do NOT support SMR deployment at or near the Hanford Site.
- Federal regulations covering 790 pages of nuclear-safety rules — including groundwater, drinking-water, and worker-radiation protections — were recently eliminated.
- Alternatives are advancing rapidly: solar and wind are now the cheapest new energy, 200,000+ MW of Pacific Northwest renewable projects await BPA sign-off, and battery and geothermal capacity are expanding fast.