News & Events

May 11, 2011—In order to “win the future” we need to continue investing in nuclear and other forms of clean energy, Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said during his speech at the Nuclear Energy Assembly.

“Advances in innovation don’t occur in a vacuum,” said Clyburn. “We must make the necessary investments today. Unless we keep innovating, exploring and investing in basic research, our economy will shrivel and die.”

Clyburn said that recent nuclear energy budgets “have been more generous,” but international competition means the country will have to push harder to keep the edge in innovation.

“For more than a century, the United States has been the global leader in energy innovation, but that leadership can’t be taken for granted,” Clyburn said.

Clyburn said he was especially concerned about the country leading in fast reactor technology.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that the United States—which pioneered the peaceful application of nuclear energy—has fallen behind the rest of the world in the development of fast spectrum reactors,” Clyburn said. “I will be working with [Energy] Secretary [Steven] Chu to make sure fast reactors are part of America’s nuclear renaissance.”

Clyburn also questioned the ability to reach a low-carbon future without nuclear energy as a part of the electricity portfolio.

“We simply will not solve the issue of climate change without a renewed commitment to nuclear energy,” he said. “I would say to my environmentalist friends, if you are anti-carbon and anti-nuclear, then you’re pro-blackout.”

While acknowledging that events in Japan had “been a blow,” Clyburn added that he remained convinced nuclear energy is an indispensable technology.

“I did not jump on the nuclear bandwagon lightly, and I’m not about to jump off,” he said.

—Nuclear Energy Overview