Chairman Barton, Ranking Member Boucher and distinguished members of the subcommittee, I am Marvin Fertel, senior vice president at the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). On behalf of NEI, I would like to commend you for focusing the 108th Congress’ attention today on legislation to implement comprehensive national energy policy.

NEI is responsible for developing policy for the U.S. nuclear industry. NEI’s 270 corporate and other members represent a broad spectrum of interests, including every U.S. electric company that operates a nuclear power plant. NEI’s membership also includes nuclear fuel cycle companies, suppliers, engineering and consulting firms, national research laboratories, manufacturers of radiopharmaceuticals, universities, labor unions and law firms.

The nuclear industry continues to play an important part in addressing the issues that face this country in meeting our energy needs.  Nuclear energy already is a vital part of our diverse energy portfolio, producing electricity—safely and cleanly—for one of every five U.S. homes and businesses. Our nation’s comprehensive energy policy must ensure an affordable, reliable supply of energy, and nuclear energy provides one of the solutions to several policy challenges that our nation faces. Among these policy challenges are:

• generating reliable and affordable electricity to meet projected increases in consumer demand over the next two decades
• protecting our nation’s air and ecological quality through the emission-free generation of electricity at nuclear power plants
• providing secure national energy supplies that are not susceptible to price spikes or disruptions because of global politics.

I will speak to each of these points briefly. Before doing so, however, I feel that I must comment on the readiness of our nation’s nuclear energy facilities in the wake of the events of Sept. 11, 2001.