Meeting on Iowa nuclear power proposal delayed

Consideration of a bill to allow MidAmerican Energy to construct a small-scale nuclear power plant has been delayed due to the absence of a supporter of the proposed legislation.

Commerce Committee Chairman Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, said Sen. Tom Rielly, D-Oskaloosa, who would provide the eighth vote for House File 561 in the 15-member committee, had another commitment Thursday morning.

Whether the committee takes up the bill later today or next week is yet to be determined, McCoy said as he headed into a closed-door Democratic caucus.

HF 561, which was approved by the House last year, would

create a regulatory framework for MidAmerican to build a nuclear power plant with ratepayers assuming all or some of the cost before construction began.