There is no way to get to a net zero carbon energy grid using ONLY renewables, and the environmental impacts of most renewables are significant and under-appreciated.  Nuclear will need to be part of any future energy portfolio, but in order to gain widespread public acceptance, it will need to be done using next generation reactor designs that are smaller, can be mass-produced to drive cost down, and that use safer fuels and that cannot "melt down" when they lose power / control.

These reactor designs are already being tried outside of the US, and have major investment from players as well known as Bill Gates.  With Virginia's robust nuclear manufacturing and operations sector (both commercial and military), we are a state that is ideally positioned to be a leader in the next-generation nuclear power economy.   This is an exportable technology, and we must not lose our seat on this bus.

The southeastern corner of the state, in particular, will face a spiraling economic and public sector collapse in 25-50 years if sea-level rise ramps up infrastructure costs and drives away industry, the Navy, and thereby erodes the tax base.   The antidote to this nightmare is to situate the world's next great export industry where there are robust ports, world class nuclear science research institutions, a vibrant nuclear workforce, and nuke-friendly voters.   Let's make clean, safe, next-generation nuclear energy and climate-change abatement technologies the buoyant economic force of the Tidewater region!

BTW - if you're a centrist voter like me, you'll really appreciate the work of Michael Shellenberger.  See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciStnd9Y2ak