News & Events

Isn’t it strange that many Americans are so worried about nuclear power when, every year, our nuclear powered Naval ships are welcomed in about 150 ports worldwide? They are a symbol of just how safe nuclear energy is.

Over the years, our Navy has had 211 nuclear-powered ships. Today, they are responsible for operating 105 reactors in 83 active ships. Ten of those are our biggest aircraft carriers. The Navy has amassed over 5,500 reactor-years of operation without a reactor accident. That's more than twice the experience of commercial plants in this country. The good news is that fewer Americans today are scared of nuclear power. We are making real progress on this front in America. All of your efforts and my efforts over the last few years are changing attitudes. Public acceptance of nuclear energy is increasing and the public is more and more supportive.

There is increasing recognition that our dependence on foreign energy sources drives us to poor choices in the foreign and military policy arenas. Large imports of energy resources are creating an increasing foreign trade deficit. High energy costs are moving jobs overseas.

Atmospheric pollution is impacting public health in our cities and even our national parks no longer have pristine air quality. Even sources of power that we assumed were reliable, like hydropower, are being curtailed as drought in the West cuts water flows. And above all, taxpayers are worried about high gas and oil prices, and they know that our economy is suffering as a result.