"FRANKFORT, Ky. – A few years ago, a moratorium on nuclear energy was lifted in Kentucky.

To further investigate the possibility of it coming to the commonwealth, Senate Concurrent Resolution 171 received approval Tuesday from the Senate Economic Development, Tourism and Labor Committee with an 8-0 vote.

Sponsored by Republican Sen. Danny Carroll, of Benton, the legislation would request the Legislative Research Commission examine funding sources and research institutions capable of conducting a feasibility study of advanced nuclear energy technology for electric power generation in Kentucky.

Now is the time for further inquiry to take place, he said.

'We have always been able to provide low cost energy due to coal, and unfortunately as we move away from coal, we’re going to fall behind if we don’t look towards the future,' Carroll said. 'We’ll be bringing folks in to educate the legislature during the interim on the next gen reactors and hopefully get some folks more comfortable with nuclear energy.'”