January 16th, 2026
Missouri Cannot Afford Kehoe’s Nuclear Boondoggle. Missouri Governor “all in” on nuclear power despite health, financial risk to residents. -- By Carrie Niswonger
Jefferson City, MO- Governor Kehoe’s State of the State highlighted many policy priorities for Missouri from public safety to economic development and budgetary responsibility. However, the policies proposed in his speech and the bills already flying through the legislative session do not align with these priorities.
Kehoe doubled down on his eagerness for nuclear energy in Missouri stating “Missouri and this administration is all in on nuclear.” Later in the speech, Kehoe applauded a bill that would stop all solar development across the state, saying “We have to protect our resources for generations to come.”
In response, Gretchen Waddell Barwick, Director of the Sierra Club Missouri Chapter said, “What the Governor is ignoring are the major health, environmental, safety, and cost concerns nuclear brings to our state. Investing in this costly and dangerous energy source will have catastrophic consequences. If the Governor wants to protect future generations, he would not gift them radioactive nuclear waste as his legacy. If the Governor cared about future generations, he would invest in real renewable solutions instead of banning solar energy generation.”
Governor Kehoe bragged about signing Senate Bill 4, a utility omnibus bill from 2025 that consumer rights and environmental groups say will raise utility bills more than $1,000 per year. Senate Bill 4 repealed former restrictions on Construction Work In Progress (CWIP), meaning utilities can now request average Missourians pay for new construction — including for costly nuclear plants — rather than the utility incurring the cost. A similar policy in South Carolina led to residents shouldering billions of dollars for a nuclear plant that was never built.
Waddell Barwick said, “Putting the risk on the shoulders of everyday Missourians, rather than investors or shareholders puts us at risk of paying for an expensive boondoggle and reaping none of the rewards. It is reprehensible that the Governor is calling for efficiency and budgetary responsibility while allowing polluting utilities to spend recklessly.”