State Begins Work on Nuclear Energy Study
Oklahoma regulators are moving forward with the state’s first comprehensive nuclear energy feasibility study. The effort follows a new law, Senate Bill 130, signed in June by Gov. Kevin Stitt, requiring the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) to evaluate whether nuclear power can play a role in the state’s future energy mix.
The law—called the Oklahoma Energy Initiative Act—directs the OCC to deliver its findings to state leaders by March 9, 2026. The study will assess technical, environmental, and economic factors tied to nuclear development.
Commissioners will meet Thursday, October 9, to advance the study and consider hiring a consulting firm to help complete the report.
Scope of the Nuclear Energy Review
Under the new mandate, the OCC must analyze a long list of topics. These include:
Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power
Safety and design standards for small modular and microreactors
Environmental and ecological impacts
Land use and siting criteria
Cost estimates and workforce needs
Job creation, training, and supply chain development
The commission will also identify geographic areas best suited for future nuclear facilities, particularly near military bases or major industrial centers.
OCC leaders say the goal is to give lawmakers a clear roadmap for responsible nuclear growth in Oklahoma.
Public Reactions Highlight Divide
Public feedback has already begun.
Mariah Gonzales, a Tulsa resident, submitted a statement opposing nuclear power. She warned that the technology could create long-term financial and environmental risks.
“Nuclear plants would lead to higher electricity bills and produce hazardous waste,” Gonzales wrote. “Historically, such waste has been dumped near tribal lands, causing environmental injustice.”
In contrast, Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) filed comments supporting the initiative. The utility said nuclear energy could strengthen reliability and diversify Oklahoma’s power mix.
“New nuclear generation would diversify fuel sources and improve reliability for our customers,” said OG&E attorney A. Chase Snodgrass.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) echoed that view. The company argued that modern nuclear technology is safer and more efficient than ever before.
“Advanced reactor designs include fifty years of safety improvements,” PSO said. “Nuclear power is dispatchable and secure—it’s available when needed, with long-lasting fuel supply.”
Concerns About Oversight and Safety
Not all feedback has been positive. A longtime Oklahoma construction worker expressed skepticism about the state’s quality control and oversight.
“I’ve seen inspectors overruled by politics,” he wrote. “If corruption remains, we should not build a nuclear plant here.”
These mixed reactions highlight the challenge for state regulators—balancing innovation, public trust, and safety.
The OCC’s next meeting will take place at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Concourse Theater, located in the Will Rogers Memorial Office Building in Oklahoma City.
AGENDA
Item Topic
I. A. Call to order
B. Announcement concerning public notice
C. Determination of quorum
II. Consideration of and possible vote(s) on proposed or potential orders in cases on the daily signing agenda docket. The Commission may discuss and consider alterations, revisions,
or amendments to the proposed or potential orders. (Votes may be taken on individual cases, on the daily signing agenda docket as a whole, or both by individual cases and the remaining docket. The vote on daily signing agenda cases may be combined with the vote
on 24-hour signing agenda cases.)
III. Consideration of and possible vote(s) on proposed or potential orders in cases on attached 24-hour signing agenda docket. The Commission may discuss and consider alterations, revisions, or amendments to the proposed or potential orders. (Votes may be taken on individual cases on the 24-hour signing agenda docket as a whole, or both by individual cases and the remaining docket.)
IV. Case No. GD2025-000004, In re: Inquiry of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to Study the Technical and Legal Feasibility of Nuclear Energy Generation in Oklahoma
A. Briefing from the Public Utility Division Staff to hire an outside consulting firm to assist with the report, pursuant to 17 O.S. § 803
B. Discussion and possible vote(s) or other direction to Commission Staff concerning Agenda Item IV(A)
V. Adjournment