Washington, D.C.–President Biden has appointed Christopher T. Hanson as chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, replacing Chairwoman Kristine L. Svinicki. The following can be attributed to Maria Korsnick, president and chief executive officer of the Nuclear Energy Institute:
“We congratulate the Honorable Christopher T. Hanson on his appointment to serve as chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We look forward to continuing to work with him and his Commission colleagues as they make important decisions critical to ensuring the continued safe operation of the nuclear industry. These decisions enable our nation’s largest source of carbon-free energy to play a key role in achieving our nation’s carbon reduction goals.
“With the administration and Congress prioritizing climate policy, it is essential that the NRC, led by Chairman Hanson, recognize the important role the agency plays within broader U.S. climate and energy policy.
“Nuclear energy is essential to meeting the ambitious climate goals that President Biden has set and we are proud to be part of that solution. With that in mind, the NRC’s continued progress to become a transformed, modern regulator is essential as we move toward a decarbonized economy.
“Recognized globally as the premier nuclear regulatory body in the world, the NRC should continue efforts that make possible the innovation we see across the nuclear industry. Over the next decade, we will see the deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies responsible for bringing high-quality carbon-free energy jobs, protecting the climate and boosting our economy. Modernizing regulatory approaches will advance future reactor designs and sustain the carbon-free nuclear energy we have today, which Congress and this Administration have signaled must play a role in addressing our nation’s future energy needs.”
