Northshore Conifer posted on April 28, 2010 19:45
WASHINGTON – United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today, during a hearing on Capitol Hill, called on U.S. Secretary of Energy, Dr. Steven Chu, to increase the Administration’s investment in nuclear energy. At a Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee hearing, Sen. Landrieu committed to help secure a $90 million investment to begin work on several nuclear plants that are in the works.
“One of the unfortunate changes in U.S. energy policy over the past 30 years has been almost the complete abandonment of our nuclear program,” Sen. Landrieu said. ”I, along with many of my constituents, am pleased that it is coming back. We hope to reinvigorate U.S. nuclear power, since it is a plentiful source of emission-free and carbon-free electricity that out country is going to need.
“For a relatively small additional investment, we could really leverage the culmination of many years of work to actually get these projects built and underway. As a Member of the Appropriations Committee, I’ll be working closely with the Administration to make this investment.”
There are currently 104 U.S. nuclear plants in operation, but there have been no new orders for a nuclear power plant since the 1970s. Today, approximately 20 percent of America's electricity comes from nuclear power. According to the Department of Energy, the U.S. demand for electricity will increase by 40 percent by 2030.
The expected average time to license and build a new large nuclear reactor is 10 years. The average cost to build a new nuclear facility is $7 to $10 billion. The cost is expected to decrease after the first few new reactors are constructed and the uncertainties surrounding these plants, which drive up the cost of capital, are alleviated.