A new state law requires Connecticut to assess the workforce needed to support a potential advanced nuclear energy industry, as policymakers continue exploring whether advanced nuclear technologies could play a future role in the state’s energy mix.
Gov. Ned Lamont on May 22 signed Public Act 26-46, which directs the Connecticut Council for Advancing Nuclear Energy Development to study the skilled labor needs associated with advanced nuclear energy projects.
The council must identify the types of workers that would be needed to support future projects, including engineers, technicians and skilled trades workers, and determine whether Connecticut’s existing education and training programs could meet that demand. The law also requires recommendations for workforce development, recruitment and training strategies.
The measure does not authorize construction of a nuclear facility, provide funding for a reactor project, or change the state’s energy procurement policies. Instead, the legislation is intended to ensure Connecticut is prepared if advanced nuclear technologies become commercially viable and attract investment here.
It builds on efforts launched last year when lawmakers created the Connecticut Council for Advancing Nuclear Energy Development as part of a broader energy package. The 18-member council is now the state’s primary advisory body on advanced nuclear energy issues and is charged with studying potential economic, regulatory, workforce and infrastructure considerations associated with the emerging industry.
It was created due to Lamont’s and other state policymakers’ growing interest in advanced nuclear technologies, such as modular reactors that are designed to be smaller, more flexible and potentially less expensive than traditional nuclear power plants.
Connecticut’s interest in the sector comes amid concerns about rising electricity demand, grid reliability and the challenge of meeting climate goals while maintaining access to carbon-free power sources.
The state is home to the 2,100-megawatt Millstone Power Station in Waterford, the region’s only operating nuclear power plant and one of the largest generators of carbon-free electricity in New England.
