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Ohio’s nuclear energy industry launches a trade association

The outside of Centrus Energy’s facilities in Piketon, located on land at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
Centrus Energy
The outside of Centrus Energy’s facilities in Piketon, located on land at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant

As Ohio sees a slew of nuclear energy investments, a new trade association has formed for the industry.

From Centrus Energy to Meta, big headlines on the nuclear front made way for the Ohio Nuclear Alliance. President Rashay Khripunova the industry needs a “coordinating, unified voice.

“This isn’t your granddaddy’s nuclear,” Khripunova said. “We’re not talking about bringing Homer Simpson to Springfield, Ohio. There’s a lot of education that needs to be done, and redefining Ohio’s relationship with nuclear.”

The Ohio Nuclear Alliance has gotten the attention of state lawmakers, several of whom attended its launch event at the downtown Athletic Club of Columbus on Tuesday evening.

House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) told attendees he thinks 100 years from now, most energy will be nuclear energy.

“Since nuclear power has evolved and gotten better through the ‘60s and ‘70s, nuclear power has generally been demonized,” Huffman told reporters Wednesday.

More information about the Ohio Nuclear Alliance is available here.

Sarah Donaldson covers government, policy, politics and elections for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. Contact her at sdonaldson@statehousenews.org.