Ryan Valenta
News Channel Nebraska
Fremont is one of 16 Nebraska communities that are being considered to house a new state of the art nuclear power reactor.
The city of Hastings conducted an open house Thursday evening for area residents to come and learn more about a nuclear feasibility study currently being done by the Nebraska Public Power District.
In 2022, the Nebraska Legislature allocated $1 million to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to fund the feasibility study.
The NPPD operates the Cooper Nuclear Station in Brownville which is the only nuclear facility in the state. It has provided power to the southeast Nebraska area since 1974.
At this stage in the feasibility study, which is in phase 2, the NPPD is gauging the available natural resources, infrastructure, and community support for each of the 16 sites across the state, before narrowing it down to 2-4 potential sites from in Phase 3.
Officials say the selected community will be home to a small modular reactor, but details on what kind of reactor will depend on the top community chosen.
Other communities being considered are Valentine, Rushville, Lexington, Sutherland, Wauneta, Holdrege, Kearney, Grand Island, Norfolk, Hallam, Beatrice, Brownville, Nebraska City, and Plattsmouth.
