RELATING TO NUCLEAR ENERGY.

HB558

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

558

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to nuclear energy
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
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The
legislature finds that the United States is the world's largest producer of
nuclear power.
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According to statistics
from the United States Department of Energy, nearly a fifth of the nation's
electricity comes from nuclear power each year.
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In 2023, domestic nuclear power plants generated seven hundred
seventy-five billion kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power over seventy-two
million homes.
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The same year, nuclear
energy also provided forty-eight per cent of carbon-free electricity in the
United States, making it the largest domestic source of clean energy.
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The legislature recognizes that nuclear
energy has been quietly powering the United States with clean, carbon-free
electricity for the last sixty years.
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Nuclear
power plants do not emit greenhouse gases while generating electricity.
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They produce power by boiling water to create
steam that spins a turbine, heated by a process called fission, which makes
heat by splitting apart uranium atoms inside a nuclear reactor core.
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Nuclear energy is therefore considered to be
a safe and efficient alternative to fossil fuels and a strong option for
combating climate change when managed properly.
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The legislature further finds that nuclear
energy is one of the most reliable energy sources in the nation.
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Nuclear power plants are designed to run
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and require less maintenance to
operate for longer stretches before refueling, typically every 1.5 to two
years.
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The legislature notes that nuclear
power plants operated at full capacity more than ninety-three per cent of the
time in 2023, making it more reliable than coal, natural gas, wind, and solar
plants.
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Nuclear fuel is also extremely dense.
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Therefore the amount of used nuclear fuel is
less than one would assume.
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According to
the United States Department of Energy, the used nuclear fuel produced by the
United States nuclear energy industry over the last sixty years could fit on a
football field at a depth of less than ten yards.

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The legislature further recognizes that many
states, such as Georgia, Illinois, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, have
turned to nuclear energy as a solution to tackle energy challenges and that
nuclear power could also help the State achieve its clean energy goals.

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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
establish a nuclear energy task force to study the feasibility of using
advanced nuclear power technologies in the State.

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SECTION 2.
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(a)
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There is established a
nuclear energy task force within the Hawaii state energy office to study the
feasibility of using advanced nuclear power technologies in the State.

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(b)
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The task force shall consist of the following members:

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(1)
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The
chief energy officer, who shall serve as chair of the task force;

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(2)
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The
director of health or their designee;

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(3)
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The
chairperson of the board of land and natural resources or their designee;

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(4)
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A
member of the senate, to be appointed by the president of the senate;

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(5)
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A
member of the house of representatives, to be appointed by the speaker of the
house of representatives;

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(6)
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A
representative from the public utilities commission, to be appointed by the
chairperson of the public utilities commission; and

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(7)
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A
representative from the university of Hawaii with expertise on nuclear energy,
to be appointed by the president of the university of Hawaii.

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(c)
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The chair of the task force shall invite the following to participate as
members of the task force:

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(1)
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A
representative from the United States Navy with expertise in nuclear energy
generation, to be appointed by the Chief of Naval Operations of the United
States Navy;

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(2)
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A
representative from a public utility that provides energy, to be appointed by
the governor without regard to section 26-34, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

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(3)
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A
representative with expertise in nuclear energy generation or nuclear waste
disposal, to be appointed by the governor without regard to section 26-34,
Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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(d)
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The task force shall:

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(1)
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Study
the feasibility of using advanced nuclear power technologies in the State;

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(2)
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Evaluate
the benefits, risks, and barriers to developing and using advanced nuclear
power technologies in the State, including those relating to regulatory,
statutory, financial, social, and environmental factors; and

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(3)
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Identify
potential short-term and long-term nuclear energy goals for the State.

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(e)
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The task force shall submit an interim report of its progress, including
any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to
the convening of the regular session of 2026, and shall submit a final report
of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the
legislature no later than forty days prior to the convening of the regular
session of 2027
.

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(f)
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The task force shall be dissolved on December 31, 2027.

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SECTION 3.
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This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

HSEO;
Nuclear Energy Task Force; Reports

Description:

Establishes
the Nuclear Energy Task Force within the Hawaii State Energy Office.
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Requires reports to the Legislature.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.