SB 676

This bill removes two major barriers to building nuclear power plants in Oregon by repealing existing statutes that currently require: 1) a federally licensed repository for high-level radioactive waste disposal to be operational before a nuclear plant can receive a site certificate, and 2) voter approval for any proposed nuclear plant site certificate. By eliminating these requirements, the bill would make it significantly easier to develop nuclear power facilities in Oregon, though the changes themselves must first be approved by voters at the next general election. If passed by voters, this would reverse Oregon's longstanding restrictive stance on nuclear power development that has effectively prevented new nuclear plants since these requirements were enacted.