STAND. COM. REP. NO. 69

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1588

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1588 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NUCLEAR ENERGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Nuclear Energy Task Force within the Hawaii State Energy Office; and

(2) Require an interim report to the Legislature before the Regular Session of 2026 and a final report to the Legislature before the Regular Session of 2027.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Sustainable Energy Hawaiʻi, Generation Atomic, and two individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from 350Hawaii, Greenpeace Hawaii, Kauai Climate Action Coalition, and four individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committee finds that nuclear energy is a promising alternative to fossil fuels that can help the State achieve its ambitious clean energy goals. Nuclear energy has been quietly powering the United States with clean, cheap, carbon-free electricity for the last sixty years and many states have turned to nuclear energy as a solution to tackle their energy challenges. Your Committee acknowledges the concerns raised in testimony regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant in the State, but notes that this is simply an exploratory measure to gather critical data and thoroughly evaluate nuclear energy as a potential solution to Hawaii's unique energy challenges.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of May 13, 2040, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1588, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1588, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs,

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GLENN WAKAI, Chair