Ranking Member Ross' Opening Statement at Hearing on Advanced Nuclear Reactors
Subcommittee on Energy Ranking Member Deborah Ross (D-NC) opening statement as prepared for the record is below:
Good morning and thank you, Chairman Weber, for convening this hearing. And thank you to the expert witnesses appearing before the subcommittee today. I especially want to thank Dr. Steven Shannon, Head of North Carolina State University’s Nuclear Engineering Department, for joining us today. I represent NC State. Go Pack! I look forward to learning more about the progress made – and the challenges that remain – when it comes to commercializing advanced nuclear reactor technologies.
Nuclear energy has played an important role in our electricity economy for decades. It is a reliable source of zero-emission power that makes up nearly 20% of the power generated for the grid. At a time when electricity demand and prices are rising we need solutions that can provide clean power to the grid.
Growing our nuclear sector is a promising solution, but traditional nuclear reactors face a very high risk of cost and schedule overruns. Advanced nuclear companies with novel reactor designs present an opportunity to build a new generation of nuclear reactors that are easier and cheaper to build at the scale needed.
But, to realize that end, we need to address several challenges. Achieving zero-power criticality is an important technical milestone. Now, more engineering and design must be done to build operational nuclear plants that can be commercially viable and safely connected to the grid. And to make sure these projects stay on schedule, we need to train a new American nuclear workforce to build and operate these reactors for decades to come.
Institutions like NC State are important partners in this effort. NC State has been training nuclear engineers through facilities like the Pulstar Reactor for decades. NC State remains a key part of the pipeline for new nuclear engineers and serves as a model program for institutions across the country that want to help meet the needs of our developing advanced nuclear industry.
The federal government has been – and can continue to be – an essential partner on these fronts as well. New reactor technologies may become cost-effective at scale, but Americans cannot be held responsible for the high cost of first-of-a-kind projects through their electricity bills. We've seen that particularly in South Carolina. That is where the government can play a role in accelerating innovation and investing in technology demonstration and commercialization.
Advanced nuclear companies – like those before the subcommittee today – are collaborating with our national labs and the department of energy because of the expertise, tools, and funding the federal government has to offer is significant. And just last week, Antares was selected by the U.S. army to construct a microreactor at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. These federally supported, first-of-a-kind projects are a promising step towards lower cost, large scale development of these reactors.
This committee has long supported nuclear energy in a bipartisan manner. In 2020, we enacted comprehensive legislation to promote the research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of nuclear technology through the Energy Act of 2020. Though it has been six years since we last passed comprehensive authorization on this topic, it is clear to me that Congress and the federal government still have an important role to play as a partner to the private sector and in training the nuclear workforce. I look forward to seeing these technologies continue to develop and working on substantive legislation that enables the ongoing advancement of innovative nuclear technologies.
Lastly, I must take a moment to emphasize that while there is significant potential for new nuclear technologies and a growing demand for electricity to drive development forward, innovation cannot come at the cost of human and environmental safety. Federal investment must continue to be stewarded by sufficient, expert staff. Independent regulators should remain impartial and work for the public interest.
Thank you, and I yield back.
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