After rejecting another attempt at taxing the facility, the Wyoming Senate gave final approval to a bill that clarifies state and federal regulation for the proposed TerraPower Nuclear power plant slated for Kemmerer.
Lander Sen. Cale Case tried to put a dollar-a-megawatt tax on the facility. Sheridan Sen. Bo Biteman said his constituents support such a tax.
“They feel we’re getting nothing out of this deal other than being guinea pigs for an experimental nuclear plan that’s electricity isn’t going to even benefit Wyoming,” said Biteman. “It’s questionable as to how many jobs it’s going to create. And at this rate, without this amendment, it’s not really going to generate any tax revenue for us.”
But Gillette Sen. Jeff Wasserburger said they are just trying to get the facility off the ground and a study on the proper tax should be conducted by a legislative committee first. The bill passed 16 to 13 and is now on its way to the governor.