Energy can be a divisive issue. From Ocean City where the specter of tall wind turbines built miles off-shore have caused local leaders to go apoplectic to equally-high-voltage outbursts over a controversial power line through Frederick, Carroll and Baltimore counties — as well as broader concerns about rising utility bills across the state — these are not exactly happy times for those who are responsible for charting Maryland’s energy future. In Annapolis, Gov. Wes Moore and state lawmakers are searching for answers to ensure Maryland has an ample supply of clean and reliable electricity at reasonable prices. And there’s one answer that keeps popping up.

Is it time for Maryland to look to nuclear energy to provide a bigger share of its growing electricity needs?

That the Free State finds itself in a costly energy circumstance is hardly a surprise. Concerns over air pollution has been a major factor in the shuttering of power plants that burned coal, oil or natural gas. Efforts to promote “greener” energy alternatives including solar and wind have proven frustratingly slow. That has left Maryland greatly dependent on out-of-state power producers. And so costs go up as competition for finite resources increases, particularly in the age of artificial intelligence or AI, a burgeoning industry that comes with substantial energy needs.

Gov. Moore wants Maryland to attract AI and its requisite energy-hungry data centers. Indeed, he mentioned that goal in his annual State of the State address before lawmakers on Wednesday. But given the reality — and the public’s anger over utility prices — doing something to lower monthly bills handed to consumers by Baltimore Gas and Electric and other utilities may prove the more urgent assignment. That, in turn, has generated positive talk about nuclear power as a lower-cost “green” alternative — from lawmakers and the governor.

Nuclear power in Maryland is nothing new, of course. The Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant has been around for a half-century a mere 50 miles south of Annapolis in Southern Maryland and currently generates about 40% of the state’s power needs. But Baltimore is less than 90 miles away from Three Mile Island on the Susquehanna River just south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the plant that suffered a partial nuclear meltdown in 1979 but is set to be restarted in 2028.

While the consequences of a nuclear meltdown are far worse than that of other energy sources, carbon-free electricity may still be an inviting option as it solves the important problem of waste. While the waste produced from nuclear energy is highly radioactive, the waste is so dense that all of the waste produced in the last 60 years could fit in a football field with a depth of less than ten yards.

And since 1990, nuclear reactors have accounted for nearly 20% of all U.S. energy production. Further, this waste can be recycled — though, unlike France and other foreign nations, the U.S. does not do this. Yet, despite the minimal amount of waste, the costs are in the billions. Further, a nuclear plant can cost billions of dollars to build.

All of which suggests lawmakers in Annapolis ought to take seriously, yet be cautious, about increasing Maryland’s reliance on nuclear power. President Donald Trump’s opposition to wind power appears to be a reality for the next four years on the federal level. But state leaders need to think in the long-term and continue to explore ways to make wind, solar, biomass and other renewable energy alternatives — including nuclear — more widely available, as well as support energy efficiency.

Might this mean accommodating power plants that are fueled with natural gas? Yes. Increasing the supply of energy offers the best opportunity to reduce consumer costs. And if nuclear waste can be more fully recycled and plants operated without enormous danger, that would surely make it more appealing, too. Gov. Moore and lawmakers must be practical and smart and find ways to power Maryland without taking any unnecessary risks.