Throughout my decades-long career in nuclear energy, I have always believed in the full potential of nuclear. For me, nuclear energy has always meant the promise of clean, reliable and affordable energy.
Today, I am not no longer unique in this belief. The landscape is completely different than when I left school and began my career in the industry. I am now joined by leaders around the world, policymakers on Capitol Hill and officials in the White House who are all recognizing that nuclear energy is critical to our energy future.
Here in the US, we have seen the federal government level the playing field, ensuring nuclear’s crucial role in decarbonization, alongside renewable sources like wind and solar. The civil nuclear credit program authorized in the bipartisan infrastructure package last year gave plants a pathway to stay open and continue serving their communities with affordable clean energy.
Nuclear was also at the center of the most comprehensive climate package passed in our history, the Inflation Reduction Act . The law’s tax provisions value today’s nuclear plants and incentivize new clean energy technologies like the next generation of nuclear reactors.
State legislatures across the country are looking for a solution that is affordable, delivers reliability and is clean—and they’re finding that nuclear fits that bill. In states like West Virginia, Montana and Connecticut, we’ve seen real action in support of nuclear as these states repealed antiquated moratoriums to allow consideration of new nuclear builds. It’s no longer “not in my back yard”—but “please in my back yard.”
Together these impactful policies have helped place nuclear energy center stage at a series of top climate and energy events happening this fall. Nuclear energy is no longer left on the sidelines, but a central part of the climate and energy security conversations happening at critical international meetings like. the Clean Energy Ministerial’ s Global Clean Energy Action Forum in Pittsburgh.
Next week, for the first time in its history, the International Atomic Energy Agency will host their Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power here in the U.S.
And in November, I will travel to Egypt for the United Nation’s Climate Change Conference, COP27, where nuclear will prominently feature in energy security and decarbonization conversations, just as we saw last year in Glasgow.
The evidence is clear—nuclear’s moment has certainly arrived. With investment in innovation and effective policies that value nuclear as the carbon-free powerhouse that it is, we are poised to move the dial forward on global climate mitigation and beyond. Moreover, it’s the energy source strongest positioned to also boost surrounding communities economically by providing thousands of long-term, quality jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenues.
The climate crisis is a global issue, and it requires a global solution. So, while world leaders and policymakers gather at major world events this fall, I ask them to take the lead of the United States and double down on their commitment to nuclear power, which is the essential solution to reach an affordable and just clean energy transition. It’s time to follow through.
