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I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz, and this is Climate Connections. In 1994, Minnesota banned new nuclear power plant construction in the state. Now lawmakers are considering whether to end that ban. Minnesota aims to fully transition to zero carbon electricity by 2040. To meet that goal, it's investing in solar, wind, and batteries. But it's not always sunny or windy out, and batteries cannot yet fill the gaps for very long. So as the state retires coal plants
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and prepares to phase out gas plants, we're left with challenges in replacing the type of generation that can turn on and stay on for a very long time.
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Sidney Lieb, who helps oversee utility regulation for the Minnesota Department of Commerce, says nuclear plants could help because they can provide energy 24, 7 and do not emit carbon pollution. Nuclear has drawbacks, though. Building plants is slow and expensive, dangerous nuclear waste must be managed and stored, and some people worry about the possibility of a nuclear accident. Although the risk is extremely low, advocates say nuclear is far safer than fossil fuels, which warm the climate and contribute to millions of deaths each year. So as moving to clean energy grows more urgent, Lieb says people in her state are
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considering is now the time to lift the moratorium.
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Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections. Org.
Episode Title: Minnesota lawmakers consider lifting ban on new nuclear power plants
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
Podcast: Climate Connections
Date: June 11, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode explores Minnesota’s debate over lifting a longstanding ban on new nuclear power plants, in the context of bold state goals to reach zero-carbon electricity by 2040. The discussion weighs nuclear power’s role in the clean energy transition, including its benefits as a carbon-free, reliable energy source, and its challenges.
Background:
Clean Energy Investments:
Potential Role for Nuclear:
Drawbacks:
Safety Context:
Sidney Lieb (Minnesota Dept. of Commerce):
Host (Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz):
This episode concisely unpacks Minnesota’s pivotal decision over its nuclear moratorium amid an ambitious clean energy push. Listeners learn about the complexities of phasing out fossil fuels, the role nuclear could play in ensuring reliable, carbon-free electricity, and the persistent concerns over nuclear’s costs, risks, and waste. Both sides of the debate—potential advantages and significant drawbacks—are briefly examined, providing a balanced, accessible overview of a critical energy policy debate.