Wisconsin Launches Nuclear Power Plant Siting Study, Governor Evers Announces in State of the State Address

On February 17, 2026, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced the official launch of a siting study for new nuclear power plants during his State of the State Address. The study will be conducted jointly by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with support from experts at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

The study is required under Act SB125, signed into law in July 2025. It will focus on evaluating opportunities for fission and fusion projects, potential sites for advanced reactor demonstrations, regulatory processes for small‑modular reactors, and the feasibility of constructing new nuclear power plants near existing and retired coal‑fired power plants. The study is scheduled to be completed in early 2027.

Wisconsin currently operates only one nuclear power station: the Point Beach Nuclear Plant, which came online in the 1970s. With two 615‑MW pressurized water reactors, it accounts for approximately 16% of the state’s total electricity generation.

• In January 2026, EnergySolutions submitted an application for a new project license at the shuttered Kewaunee Nuclear Plant.

• Assembly Bill 472 (AB 472) recently passed the Wisconsin State Assembly, which would establish new tax credits for new nuclear power plant development.

“Nuclear energy is our nation’s largest source of clean energy. It is safe, reliable, and carbon‑free — an ideal choice to power our homes and businesses. This could be transformative for our state, and I am pleased this work has earned bipartisan support during this session.”