FRANKFORT, KY (March 28, 2025)—The General Assembly has approved House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 22, sponsored by Rep. Randy Bridges, R-Paducah. This resolution declares nuclear power is a clean and dispatchable source of baseload electricity and reaffirms its role in Kentucky’s long-term energy strategy.
The resolution marks another step in Kentucky’s commitment to an all-of-the-above energy approach that protects reliability, encourages innovation, and prepares for the future.
“This resolution makes it clear: Kentucky is ready to lead in advanced nuclear energy,” Funke Frommeyer said. “As we see the retirement of coal and gas plants, nuclear must be part of the solution. It’s safe, clean and dependable — exactly what we need to stabilize our grid and strengthen our economy.”
The resolution arrives as Kentucky faces growing energy demands and the loss of traditional baseload generation. Lawmakers said the use of small modular reactors and other emerging nuclear technologies could help meet these challenges by delivering consistent power without emissions.
Both Bridges and Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, have already accomplished a great deal toward establishing Kentucky as a leader in bringing clean nuclear energy.
HCR 22 builds on a series of recent legislative actions:
Senate Bill (SB) 11 (2017) lifted Kentucky’s decades-old moratorium on nuclear construction.
Senate Joint Resolution 79 (2023) established a legislative working group to assess Kentucky’s readiness for nuclear development.
SB 198 (2024) created the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority (KNEDA) to coordinate resources and serve as a non-regulatory expert hub.
SB 179 (2025), also sponsored by Carroll, launched a $10 million grant program to attract nuclear investment and develop a trained workforce.
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, carried the resolution to final passage in the Senate.
“Our current energy crisis is not only at our state level, it’s global and national. Because of the efforts of our General Assembly, we have seen record economic growth which requires more energy, said Funke Fromeyer. “For that economic growth to continue, we will continue to have a greater demand placed on our power grid and must be ready to respond.”
Demand for power in the US is forecasted to increase by 15-20 percent by 2030 and as much as 50 percent by 2050. Studies show we need to expand all types of energy and also predict the energy shortage will continue indefinitely because the industry simply can’t keep up at current rates.
Funke Frommeyer said Kentucky is well-positioned to compete nationally in the advanced nuclear sector if leaders continue taking deliberate action.
“This isn’t about choosing one energy source over another,” Funke Frommeyer said. “It’s about securing a future where Kentucky communities have the infrastructure, jobs and energy reliability they deserve.”
For more information about Kentucky’s nuclear energy initiatives, visit legislature.ky.gov.
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Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, represents the 24th Senate District, including Bracken, Campbell, and Pendleton Counties and part of Kenton County. Frommeyer serves as vice chair of the Senate Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor Committee and co-chair of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary. She is also a member of the Legislative Research Commission 2024-26 Budget Preparation and Submission, and Senate Committees on Appropriations and Revenue, Agriculture; and Families and Children. Additionally, Frommeyer is co-chair of Capital Projects and Bond Oversight, and Public Pension Oversight Board and member of the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority.
Visit https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators%20Full%20Res%20Images/senate124.jpg for a high-resolution .jpeg of Funke Frommeyer.
