Matzie, Mehaffie laud passage of bill to clear the way for construction of small modular nuclear reactors
Rep. Robert F. Matzie February 4, 2026 | 3:40 PM
HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – Pennsylvania Nuclear Energy Caucus Co-Chairs Rob Matzie and Tom Mehaffie today hailed the state House’s passage of legislation that would clear the way for the construction of the nuclear industry’s small modular reactors and microreactors to help meet growing demands on Pennsylvania’s energy grid.
The lawmakers said H.B. 2017, introduced by state Rep. Jose Giral, D- Phila., would pave the way for SMRs and microreactors by authorizing a change in fees that have posed an obstacle to construction of these smaller nuclear reactors.
“Having an ‘all-everything’ energy strategy strengthens our position as an energy powerhouse and helps us meet the increasing demand coming from cloud computing and AI,” said Matzie, D-Beaver, who is chairman of the House Majority Caucus as well as a co-chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Nuclear Energy Caucus.
“Nuclear is an important part of that strategy, and one that would bring new jobs, but the construction costs can be prohibitive. Small, modular reactors, which require less time and money to build, are an excellent solution, but the fees these reactors must pay the state to operate – which were developed with large, traditional reactors in mind – have proven to be an insurmountable obstacle. The new legislation would adjust the fees to remove those barriers.”
Mehaffie, R-Dauphin, said SMRs can help the state address an important, time-sensitive issue.
“I’m hopeful the commonwealth can be a leader in bringing SMRs online in a safe, expedient manner,” Mehaffie said. “Our power grid operator has warned repeatedly about shortages by 2030, meaning SMRs could become an important component of our energy portfolio and position us well for the future.”
Under a resolution introduced by Mehaffie, the state legislature directed the Joint State Government Commission to author a report about the benefits of nuclear energy and the development of SMRs. That 2024 report noted that, to date, only a few SMRs were in use worldwide, with Russia and China leading the way on development.
The report stated that smaller, simpler reactors can deliver important benefits at more affordable costs and can be built with passive safety features that minimize possible mechanical and human errors that have led to reactor meltdowns.
The Pennsylvania Nuclear Energy Caucus was founded in 2017 to educate legislators about the economic and environmental benefits of nuclear power. In addition to Matzie and Mehaffie, Senate co-chairs are Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-Columbia/Luzerne/Montour/Northumberland/Snyder, and Sen. John Kane, D-Chester/Delaware.