Huntsman: Nuclear Power an Option for Utah

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Governor Jon Huntsman has long opposed nuclear waste storage in Utah, but now says nuclear power is an option the state must consider in the face of global warming. However, he says state officials should give the same incentives to other carbon-free energy sources like wind, solar and water:

"If you're willing to give a break to a plant of any kind that has a carbon free technology, have it based on operations when it comes online and begins to produce electricity," says Huntsman. "If you're gonna do it for one, you ought to do it for all of them. There are a lot of carbon-free technologies we ought to be looking at."

Two Utah lawmakers who sit on committees that oversee energy policy for the state are involved in plans to build a nuclear plant in Utah. Huntsman estimates any such development is at least a decade away. As for the potential conflict of interest those lawmakers have in pursuing nuclear energy, Huntsman says he's powerless:

"That's something the voters ultimately need to decide," says Huntsman. "We hold the executive branch to a fairly high standard. The legislature can do whatever it wants. I won't venture into what's best for the legislature - their leaders can do whatever their comfortable with. I'm responsible for the executive branch and will speak out for the executive branch."

Legislators involved in the nuclear plans say they have not yet participated in any vote that might represent a conflict of interest. Huntsman says he will ask his Blue Ribbon Advisory Council on Climate Change to shape his policy on building a nuclear plant in Utah.

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