May 11, 2011—Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman made clear at the nuclear industry’s annual conference that the president’s support for nuclear power remains unwavering, as the events at Japan’s Fukushima plant continue to unfold.
“The president made clear that we still see nuclear energy as an important element of a diverse clean energy portfolio and an important source of low-carbon baseload electricity,” said Poneman.
The domestic nuclear energy industry must continue to make safe and secure operations its top priority, said Poneman, who is also the Energy Department’s chief operating officer.
“Safety always has been, and must remain, our pre-eminent concern,” he said. “That’s why over the past decades we’ve continued ceaselessly to improve the safety and security of each of our facilities.”
Poneman said that “we must revive our domestic nuclear industry” by focusing on safety and three other “critical challenges”: commercial viability, the back end of the fuel cycle and the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation.
“We must resolve the uncertainty surrounding the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle,” he said.
Poneman said the
Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future would help inform DOE, the president, Congress and the public on next steps in managing used fuel.
“We’re very much looking forward to receiving the initial recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Commission this July,” he said.
Poneman added that he hoped the recommendations would help engender public support for a path forward.
Poneman said that an international nonproliferation framework—if implemented correctly—could create demand for U.S. goods and services.
“Regardless of what the United States does, the world is increasingly turning to nuclear energy as a low-carbon electricity source,” said Poneman. “An international [nonproliferation] framework could strengthen America’s domestic nuclear industry by providing new markets and new customers for U.S. nuclear technology and innovation.”
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Nuclear Energy Overview