Delaware is taking a significant step toward exploring nuclear energy as part of its future energy mix. The state has established a 25-member Nuclear Energy Feasibility Task Force to examine the potential deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), a next-generation nuclear technology gaining attention for its scalability, safety features, and zero-carbon electricity generation.
In 2023, Delaware imported more than 6.3 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity, underscoring the state's reliance on out-of-state generation. Proponents of the resolution point out that three 250 MW SMRs operating at 95% capacity could meet this entire shortfall, offering a pathway to energy independence. At the same time, regional energy authorities have issued warnings about an impending electricity reliability crisis, as legacy baseload power plants retire faster than they are being replaced.
While Delaware continues to push for clean energy through its Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), utilities like Delmarva Power have struggled to acquire enough Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and have resorted to paying Alternative Compliance Payments (ACPs). This underscores the limitations of relying solely on intermittent renewables and suggests a growing need for firm, dispatchable power like that offered by nuclear.
SMRs present a compelling solution. Designed for lifespans of 80 to 100 years, SMRs offer carbon-free, consistent energy output and the potential to reuse former fossil fuel sites, such as the decommissioned Indian River coal plant—already identified by the U.S. Department of Energy as a possible SMR location.
The bipartisan task force—comprising state legislators, agency heads, utility executives, environmental experts, business leaders, and consumer advocates—has been charged with delivering a report by December 31, 2025. Areas of study include:
The resolution also hints at broader ambitions. A reliable, clean power backbone could position Delaware as an attractive destination for data centers and AI-driven enterprises, which require steady, high-capacity electricity and are increasingly demanding carbon-free power sources.
Delaware is not alone in reconsidering nuclear power. Across the U.S., interest in SMRs is accelerating, with states like Wyoming, Virginia, and Idaho already advancing pilot projects. While this resolution stops short of committing to nuclear deployment, it marks a clear shift in Delaware's energy conversation—from “if” to “how.”
