"State Sen. Bob Smith, a Democrat from Piscataway, has sponsored a controversial bill that would result in residents paying for the construction of a new nuclear plant a decade or more before it starts producing energy. But in an interview with Gothamist, he said the legislation is unlikely to pass during this year's lame-duck session. The state Senate's energy committee held a three-hour hearing earlier this month where all but one of the more than 30 witnesses spoke against the bill."
"Smith said the bill is unlikely to make it through the rest of the legislative process before the session ends in early January, as the measure still needs to go through the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee to evaluate the cost before the whole Senate can vote on it. Another version would also need to pass through the state Assembly and multiple committees."
New Jersey's leading gubernatorial candidates supported expanding nuclear capacity amid rising energy costs. State Sen. Bob Smith sponsored a bill requiring residents to begin paying for a new nuclear plant a decade or more before it produces power. The state Senate energy committee held a three-hour hearing with more than 30 witnesses, and all but one opposed the bill; the committee voted 4-1 to advance it. Smith estimated construction costs at at least $20 billion and said he will reintroduce the measure after the new governor and legislature take office. The bill must still clear the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and multiple Assembly committees, making passage unlikely during the lame-duck session.
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