Nuclear energy has been stymied by Californian law for nearly five decades, hurting the state’s ability to hit its own climate goals and meet growing demand for electricity.

The construction of nuclear energy projects, such as power plants, has been blocked in the state of California since the mid-1970s. In 1976, the state placed a moratorium on the licensing and construction of nuclear reactors until the federal government established a permanent solution for radioactive waste disposal.