A few weeks ago, Governor Healey shared a monumental sentiment that signaled a major shift for the Commonwealth’s energy future. By grouping “wind, solar, and nuclear” together in her vision for a reliable grid, she effectively opened a door that has been closed in Massachusetts for over forty years. For those of us in Plymouth, this is more than just a policy update; it is a signal that the conversation about our town’s role in the regional energy map has officially re-opened.
It is time for us to meet that signal with a deliberate message from our Town Meeting.
The Governor has already backed this vision by partnering with UMass Lowell to launch the “Massachusetts Roadmap for Advanced Nuclear and Fusion Energy.” This state-funded initiative is specifically designed to identify the best sites for the next generation of power. I am suggesting that we use our upcoming session to “get the ball rolling” through a formal resolution. It is vital that we send a clear message to the Governor, UMass Lowell, and the Department of Energy: The legislative body of Plymouth—the body that holds the power over zoning and the municipal purse—is officially open to this discussion.
By engaging now, we can “dovetail” our town’s most pressing needs into this state roadmap. For example, these Small Nuclear Units (SMUs) have a much smaller footprint than the plants of the past. Using just a fraction of the existing Pilgrim site for these units could provide the catalyst to fund the South Plymouth fire station our Fire Chief has requested. Furthermore, it could fund the proposed need for eight additional firefighters that our Chief has identified as critical for our town’s safety—positions that the current budget simply cannot sustain.
Beyond the fire department, the stable revenue from these units would provide the long-term funding necessary for additional law enforcement, the protection of our school budgets, and the stabilization of other vital municipal departments.
We also have a new, powerful layer of leverage at the federal level. The current administration has made a “nuclear renaissance” a top priority. This gives us our best chance in years to draw a “line in the sand” regarding the spent fuel rods currently on our shores. We should demand that any discussion of new SMU units include a fortified, permanent solution for that fuel as a prerequisite.
A formal resolution could also act as a key to unlock the “Nuclear Mitigation Fund,” potentially freeing up $10 million immediately for town use while preserving our precious open space.
If we stay silent, we leave our future to be decided by state boards and distant agencies. By speaking as a Town Meeting, we assert our local control. I’m not looking for a marriage here; really, what we’re looking for is that first date at Panera Bread that may or may not work out. But it is a conversation we can no longer afford to avoid if we want to secure Plymouth’s safety, schools, and financial future.
- Al DiNardo
DiNardo is a Precinct 17 Town Meeting member.