News & Events

Good morning, and welcome to today's discussion of nuclear energy in the competitive market.

I'm glad this conference is looking at the 21st century because the future of nuclear energy is brighter today than at any time in my 35-year career.

That opinion is shared by a growing number of people who have rediscovered nuclear energy's benefits and vitality.

From policymakers to pundits … from the financial community to the people at our nuclear power plants … there is a growing awareness that this is a proven industry with more than 2,000 years of operating experience … and with a product that will become increasingly valuable as we tackle the demands of the 21st century.

Perhaps the highest praise for nuclear energy's prospects comes from one of the industry's long-time doubters: the Washington International Energy Group.

In October, the group said: "For the first time in more than two decades, a new consensus is emerging that nuclear energy needs to play a role, as countries attempt to fulfill Kyoto Protocol climate change commitments."

Then, in its 1999 Energy Industry Outlook, the Washington International Energy Group went a step further, saying: "Confidence in the viability and performance of nuclear plants has significantly increased. …The best nuclear plants have now proved that on a sustained basis they can generate electricity at very low cost compared to all but some hydro units."