A proposal by La Crosse-based Dairyland Power Cooperative to build a “next-generation” nuclear power plant reflects a global renewal of interest in atomic energy to fight climate change and cut reliance on unstable oil and gas sources while meeting core electricity demands. Learn about the Dairyland plan and the larger debate Tuesday, May 24, at the Tech Council Innovation Network luncheon in Madison.

Panelists include Brent Ridge, president and chief executive officer of Dairyland Power Cooperative; Jeffrey Keebler, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Madison Gas & Electric; and Paul Wilson, Grainger Professor of Nuclear Engineering and chair of the UW-Madison Department of Engineering Physics.

The luncheon will be held at the Sheraton Hotel on Madison’s John Nolen Drive. Registration and networking begin at 11:30 a.m., lunch at noon and the presentation at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $10 for students and returning veterans, $25 for individual members, $35 for non-members and included for Tech Council corporate members. Click here to register and read our COVID-19 policy.

“Dairyland’s plan to build a small-module nuclear power plant requires regulatory review and won’t be carried out overnight. However, it’s part of a long-term bid to decarbonize electricity generation across the board,” said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, who will moderate. “From the White House to the European Union and beyond, nuclear energy has found its way back into a debate that includes solar, wind and other alternative sources.”

This luncheon is sponsored by the Dane County Regional Airport.

The Wisconsin Technology Council is the independent, non-profit science and technology adviser to the governor and Legislature, with events, publications and outreach that contribute to Wisconsin’s tech-based economy. To join, go to www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com or call 608-442-7557.