Kentucky governor vetoes nuclear energy legislation [Video]

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday vetoed legislation promoting nuclear energy in coal-producing Kentucky, but stressed his objections dealt with an advisory board and not with the use of nuclear power.

Beshear said he supports an “all-of-the-above” energy policy that includes nuclear energy. For generations, coal fueled the state’s economy but its dominance has slipped. Supporters of adding nuclear energy to that mix had touted the bill’s passage as a pivotal moment for Kentucky’s energy future.

The governor’s criticism focused on the method to select voting members on the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority, which would nurture the development of nuclear power. Many of the members would be designated by private sector groups, bypassing the appointment authority of the governor or other state constitutional officers, Beshear said.

“The legislature can’t just say ’you in this position in the private sector and you in …