Opportunities and Challenges for Nuclear Power

Opening Statement By Chairman Bart Gordon

Good morning and welcome to today’s hearing on the opportunities and challenges related to expansion of our nuclear power industry.

I would like to welcome our expert panelists who will share with us their views about the role of the federal government to advance electricity production from nuclear power and its ability to help address the pressing problem of climate change.

There is no doubt we are witnessing a renewed interest in nuclear power production overseas and here in the U.S.  Controls on greenhouse gas emissions, federal incentives authorized in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and higher fossil fuel prices all are motivating this renewed interest.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is anticipating over 30 U.S. applications for new reactors through 2009 and another 150 are planned or proposed globally.

Existing nuclear power plants provide approximately 20 percent of our nation’s electricity, and they do so as a low-carbon emitter.  Improvements in performance at our nuclear facilities over the years have made them a reliable source of baseload electricity.

However, expanded use of nuclear power wouldn’t come without some major costs.  Construction of new nuclear power plants is expensive.  In addition, other issues that need to be considered are  the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation, management of radioactive waste generated by nuclear power, and the cost to taxpayers of possible additional federal subsidies for the industry.

The technical challenges of expanded nuclear power production should be met with an aggressive research and development program.  The Administration has been a strong advocate of expanded financial support for the industry.  In my view, support for research and development to address the challenges associated with expanded nuclear power production is equally important.

I believe that we must maintain a diverse and robust energy production portfolio in the United States.  We need reliable and affordable electricity generation to maintain our quality of life and ensure we remain globally competitive.  We must have a strategy that maintains our economic viability without turning a blind eye to the tremendous challenge of climate change.

The details of a national climate change program are not yet clear, but I believe it is critical that we have a comprehensive and meaningful technology strategy to ensure we can meet targeted reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in a rapid timeframe.

Nuclear power may very well play an important part of the climate change solution.

I look forward to a lively discussion this morning about the potential for nuclear power to provide more of our electricity in the United States and abroad.

Witnesses

Panel

5 - Mr. Robert Fri
Visiting Scholar Resources for the Future Resources for the Future
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3 - Mr. James Asselstine
Managing Director (retired) Lehman Brothers Lehman Brothers
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4 - Dr. Thomas Cochran
Senior Scientist, Nuclear Program Natural Resources Defense Council Natural Resources Defense Council
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2 - Mr. Robert Van Namen
Senior Vice President, Uranium Enrichment United States Enrichment Corporation United States Enrichment Corporation
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6 - Mr. John Grossenbacher
Director Idaho National Laboratory Department of Energy Idaho National Laboratory Department of Energy
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1 - Ms. Marilyn Kray
Vice President, Project Development Exelon Nuclear Exelon Nuclear
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