Gov. Jared Polis and his fellow Democrats in charge at the Legislature have taken the fast-and-furious approach to a zero-carbon energy future for Colorado. But wide-ranging factors could stymie the effort. Those include overemphasizing energy sources deemed the “greenest,” regardless of their drawbacks, rather than pursuing a more prudent, balanced and diverse energy portfolio that prioritizes cost and reliability.

That’s where atomic energy comes in. Yes, zero-emission nuclear power – the original green energy – is a familiar and proven technology that already generates about 18% of the nation’s electricity. And it could, and should, play a prominent role in Colorado’s energy mix.

Colorado’s one and only nuclear power plant, the Fort Saint Vrain facility near Platteville north of Denver, was decommissioned in 1992 amid design issues that made it too costly to run. Indeed, the one substantive concern about nuclear power plants has been the cost of their on-site infrastructure – not their safety, which has been almost without incident in the U.S.

Next-generation “modular” nuclear reactors should render even those concerns moot. The small-scale reactors are not like the 98 full-size reactors long in service across the country, or the 439 worldwide. The average modular reactor is less than 10% the size of electric power plants run by gas, coal or traditional reactors. We can make them in factories and move them to their final destinations.

The U.S. Energy Department embraces the idea.

“Advanced Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are a key part of the department’s goal to develop safe, clean, and affordable nuclear power options,” the department states on its website. “The advanced SMRs currently under development in the United States represent a variety of sizes, technology options, capabilities, and deployment scenarios.”

Colorado’s Legislature is intrigued. To its credit, amid its headlong rush to push solar and wind generation of electricity, it passed a bill last week that promises at least to take a closer look at the new, practical and more cost-effective 2.0 version of nuclear power. That’s progress.

As reported Monday by The Gazette, House Bill 23-1247 directs the Colorado Energy Office to study energy options including natural gas with carbon capture, geothermal, clean hydrogen, and advanced nuclear – as well as wind and solar – in both northwestern and southeastern Colorado. Although the studies commissioned by the legislation will examine feasibility and viability of those energy options in only a couple of rural regions, the bipartisan legislation is a worthy first step. The bill garnered broad support in both parties and is on its way to Polis.

Colorado Energy Office Director Will Toor, testified in favor of HB 23-1247 when it was in committee. He told lawmakers that exploring options like nuclear power for full-time generation in areas hit hardest by the closure of coal power plants and mines that have served the state for more than a century is a good idea.

“We think that geothermal, nuclear, clean hydrogen, gas with carbon capture, and long duration storage could all play a role and I think (we) are interested in exploring the role of all of those technologies,” Toor said.

Toor’s words underscore the need to look beyond old, misplaced prejudices against nuclear power – and to view it as a part of Colorado’s new energy portfolio with high potential. We must objectively examine all our options and assess the role, value and tradeoffs of each energy source. Coloradans need clean, cost-effective and reliable energy, and nuclear power is all of those.

Denver Gazette Editorial Board