Historically, green-leaning Oregon voters have expressed about as much enthusiasm for nuclear power as they have for coal.

The state's only nuclear plant closed in 1993 amid equipment problems and substantial public opposition. A 1980 ballot measure effectively outlawed the construction of new power reactors in the state, and all that remains of the Trojan nuclear plant today is a small lake stocked with trout north of Portland.

Likewise, the broader environmental movement fought nuclear power for decades citing safety concerns and the uncertainties of dealing with radioactive waste.

That may be about to change. The urgency of confronting a warming climate has recently led some scientists to advocate for nuclear plants as a low-carbon technology that can be deployed long before renewables reach a stage where they can meet the bulk of demand for electricity.