A new report suggests building new nuclear power plants would be a bad investment for Wisconsin.
The nuclear industry has proposed building dozens of new plants across the country, at a cost of nearly $300 billion. WISPIRG advocate Kara Rumsey says taxpayer subsidies and rate hikes would end up covering a large portion of that price tag.
A study from WISPIRG found that renewable energy options can produce more cost-effective electricity. Dollar for dollar, Rumsey says implementing more energy efficient technologies could produce up to five times more energy than nuclear power.
Rumsey says lawmakers should move subsidies away from nuclear power, and reinvest in renewable energy. She says it's essential for getting on a path to a clean energy future that saves the public money.
WISPIRG is also urging Wisconsin to keep laws in place that restrict the construction of new nuclear power plants in the state.