News & Events

Good morning. I am very pleased to be able to join you again this year at this annual  meeting of U.S. and international nuclear energy industry leaders.

Much has changed since last year’s Nuclear Energy Assembly, both for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and for you in the nuclear industry. Obviously, the most striking change has arisen as a result of the events of September 11. This event has affected us in many ways, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The protection of nuclear facilities from potential threats from terrorists has become one of our chief concerns. However, it would be a serious overstatement to say that physical security has been an “overriding” concern or a “preoccupation.” Although the issue of security still requires much attention from the NRC and our licensees, safety issues more generally never go away for either the NRC or the industry.

The 103 operating nuclear power plants that supply almost 20% of our electricity continue to require careful regulatory oversight, both on a routine basis and to deal with emergent safety issues, as we have recently seen at Davis Besse. Our nuclear plant licensees continue to apply to renew their operating licenses beyond the original 40-year term and to increase the power output of their facilities. There continues to be interest in the possibility of new construction. And after decades of technical studies and political debate, we may be on the threshold of a new era in dealing with the accumulation of spent fuel at our power reactor sites. I would like to address some of these issues briefly in order to give you a sense of the NRC’s perspectives.