A Paducah Republican and State Center senator, is urging Kentucky to develop a nuclear energy pilot program with at least three test sites that are across the state.

But some Democrats and some citizens are wondering who's going to foot the bill.

Well, our Emily Sisk has more on the latest nuclear energy legislation.

If Kentucky's going to sustain our growth and we're going to attract new industries, we're going to take advantage of the billions of dollars being invested in nuclear.

We need to move now.

Paducah Republican Senator Danny Carroll urged the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee today to advance Senate Bill 57, which would establish a nuclear reactor site pilot program.

The state senator said nuclear energy is the future for the Commonwealth and beyond.

Frankly, we don't have another option to produce this kind of energy to meet the demand that we will have.

Under Senate Bill 57.

The Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority will oversee the pilot program, which would approve three nuclear energy sites across the state.

Senator Carroll explained how the group will decide on which sites to approve.

Looking at the location and suitability of the site and previous site usage, the economic condition of the region, the economic impact on the region.

Is the site geographically diverse away from other projects?

It is important.

That is, as we move forward in the development of nuclear reactors and a nuclear ecosystem, that we are inclusive of the entire state.

You all are aware of all that we have going on down in our part of the state in Paducah and West Kentucky.

We want to make sure that every region of our state gets benefit from this.

There was some concern, however, about who will foot the bill of the new sites, and could the responsibility fall to Kentucky ratepayers.

Both a lobbyist and Lexington Democrat raised this question.

Kentucky families are already feeling the burden and the pressure from rising utility bills, and many households are living paycheck to paycheck.

If a project is delayed, if it's over budget, or if it's never complete, which is not uncommon, and the nuclear industry ratepayers will have borne the cost without ever receiving the benefit.

What happens if the timelines get extended or projects that are approved fail to deliver?

What protections are there for ratepayers?

Whatever power is used by that entity, the Hyperscaler, or if it's an industry, they would be responsible for paying those those cost involved because they would be the primary user and the ratepayer would only be responsible if approved by the Public Service Commission for any amount of electricity generated.

That's above what that data center, as in or whatever they might need.

The legislation sets up a framework for the General Assembly to award the pilot projects up to $25 million to get the site up and running in the future.

However, House Appropriations and Revenue Chair Jason Petrie clarified this bill does not have an appropriations request at this time.

The bill passed out of committee with 17 yes votes and two Democratic pass votes for Kentucky edition.

I'm Emily Sisk.

Many thanks Emily.

Companies that are interested in taking part in the pilot program would have to submit a request to the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority.

Senator Carroll says the Kentucky General Assembly could then approve three projects in the 2027 legislative session.

And Carroll says he hopes to have nuclear energy produced in the state in the next 10 to 15 years.