HF 341

This bill removes Minnesota's current statutory prohibition on issuing certificates of need for new nuclear power plants, effectively allowing the construction of new nuclear-powered electric generating facilities in the state for the first time since the ban was enacted. The legislation strikes the existing language in Minnesota Statutes section 216B.243 that explicitly prevents the state's Public Utilities Commission from approving certificates of need for new nuclear plant construction, while retaining requirements for addressing impacts of spent nuclear fuel storage for facilities seeking license extensions. By eliminating this legal barrier, the bill would enable utilities to pursue nuclear power development as part of Minnesota's energy portfolio, though any proposed nuclear facilities would still need to obtain the required certificate of need and meet all other regulatory requirements.