A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville to explore opportunities to participate in federal nuclear-related programs and to expand their curricula to offer courses and degree paths to train the workforce that will construct and operate the next generation of nuclear energy facilities.

UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SCR 66/GA
Page 1 of 2
SCR006610.100 - 1629 - XXXX 3/13/2026 10:59 AM GA
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the University of Kentucky and the 1
University of Louisville to explore opportunities to participate in federal nuc lear-related 2
programs and to expand their curricula to offer courses and degree paths to train the 3
workforce that will construct and operate the next generation of nuclear energy facilities. 4
WHEREAS, with the passage of Senate Bill 11 in 2017, the General Assembly 5
lifted the moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power facilities that had been in 6
place for decades; and 7
WHEREAS, interest in developing the nuclear energy ecosystem in Kentucky has 8
never been greater for many reasons, including but not l imited to the momentum created 9
by the convening of the Nuclear Energy Development Working Group and the 10
recommendations it produced for the establishment of the Kentucky Nuclear Energy 11
Development Authority; and 12
WHEREAS, the emergence of promising new nuclear technologies, including small 13
modular reactors, may be useful in a range of applications in the Commonwealth; and 14
WHEREAS, there is increasing need for new baseload energy generation to be sited 15
in the Commonwealth in order to maintain the resiliency a nd reliability of the electric 16
grid; and 17
WHEREAS, there are 25 university research nuclear reactors located across the 18
United States, including at universities in the neighboring states of Missouri, Indiana, and 19
Ohio; and 20
WHEREAS, universities with researc h nuclear reactors and universities that have 21
sharing agreements with those universities are eligible for research funding from the 22
United States Department of Energy's Nuclear Energy University Program; and 23
WHEREAS, cutting-edge nuclear research is being conducted at these universities, 24
including at Texas A&M University, where in February 2025, the university offered land 25
to four nuclear power companies to construct and test the latest prototypes of small 26
modular reactors; and 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SCR 66/GA
Page 2 of 2
SCR006610.100 - 1629 - XXXX 3/13/2026 10:59 AM GA
WHEREAS, the Markey Cancer Center at the University of Kentucky and the 1
Brown Cancer Center at the University of Louisville already use various radioactive 2
isotopes in their radiopharmaceuticals to treat metastatic neuroendocrine tumors and 3
prostate cancer, with researchers also conducting clinical trials to possibly expand their 4
use to treatment of breast, colon, hand and neck, lung, pancreatic, and other cancers; and 5
WHEREAS, as part of the development of the nuclear energy ecosystem in the 6
Commonwealth, universities should take a lead role in exploring opportunities to 7
participate in the latest nuclear energy research and expand their course offerings to 8
contribute to the development of the nuclear energy workforce in the Commonwealth; 9
NOW, THEREFORE, 10
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 11
Kentucky, the House of Representatives concurring therein: 12
Section 1. The General Assembly urges the University of Kentucky and the 13
University of Louisville to explore opportunities to participate in the United States 14
Department of Energy's Nuclear Energy University Program and to expand their curricula 15
to offer courses and degree paths to train the workforce that will construct and operate the 16
next generation of nuclear energy facilities. 17
Section 2. The General Assembly further encourages the University of 18
Kentucky and the University o f Louisville to engage and collaborate with the United 19
States Department of War to explore possible nuclear energy -related grant funding and 20
research opportunities that may become available as the universities expand their 21
contributions to the development of the nuclear energy ecosystem in the Commonwealth. 22
Section 3. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this 23
Resolution and notification of its passage to Eli Capilouto, President, University of 24
Kentucky, 101 Main Building, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, and Gerry Bradley, 25
President, University of Louisville, Grawemeyer Hall, Suite 102, Louisville, Kentucky 26
40292. 27