Newsroom Archive

In a historic vote, the House passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), including the vital provisions for clean energy sources like nuclear. The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. The following statement can be attributed to Maria Korsnick, president and chief executive officer at the Nuclear Energy Institute.

Congressman Byron Donalds (R-F.L.) recently introduced important legislation to mobilize nuclear energy to aid disaster relief efforts. The National Strategy to Utilize Microreactors for Natural Disaster Response Efforts Act seeks to utilize clean, reliable, and portable nuclear microreactors—instead of carbon-emitting diesel generators—to assist with natural disaster recovery efforts. Providing communities with power in the aftermath of disasters such as hurricanes is essential, especially when the NOAA Climate Prediction Center is forecasting the seventh consecutive above-average hurricane season this year.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer reached an agreement on the latest reconciliation bill entitled Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). The following statement can be attributed to Maria Korsnick, president and CEO at the Nuclear Energy Institute:

When people think about electricity, they generally think of how their houses, cars and appliances are powered. Disruptions to the grid have shown how essential electricity access is, and where and how we get this power matters. Because of this, more clean, reliable, affordable and homegrown power like nuclear energy is absolutely essential to ensuring America’s energy security. But it’s not just about the United States—it’s about the world, as our allies seek to decarbonize and secure their own grids.

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Annie Caputo and Bradley Crowell to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This returns the Commission to a full slate of five members.

Chief Nuclear Officers at Nuclear Energy Institute member utilities are expecting to add 90 gigawatts of nuclear power to the grid according to a recent NEI poll. That translates to about 300 new small modular reactors (SMRs) with the bulk coming online by 2050—this level of nuclear energy output would avoid 471 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, over 280,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, and over 235,000 tons of nitrogen dioxide each year.

Earlier this month the European Union (EU) decided to include investments in nuclear energy in the EU's Sustainable Finance Taxonomy, and just last week Ontario Power Generation (OPG) updated its green bond framework to include nuclear energy. Why is this shift happening now—and what needs to happen for nuclear energy to be universally valued in sustainable investing? We ask the expert, Monica Trauzzi, who is NEI’s Senior Director of External Communications & Climate Finance Strategy and Engagement.

In the face of increased shareholder pressure and ESG requirements, companies are increasingly committing to net-zero, with the number of science-based targets topping 2,940 in the first quarter of this year. Transitioning our electric grid—and eventually our entire economy—to clean energy will take massive investment. NEI’s Monica Trauzzi sat down with Arshad Mansoor, the Electric Power Research Institute’s President and Chief Executive Officer, to talk about the investment needed for decarbonization.

2022 has been an unprecedented year for smart energy policy in state capitols around the country—and we’re only halfway through the year. Legislatures have already seen dozens of bills that reflect the value of reliable, carbon-free nuclear energy. The consensus: lawmakers on both sides of the aisle clearly recognize that in order to sustain a just and reliable clean energy transition, nuclear must be a part of the conversation.

In a majority vote, Parliament has ruled to keep nuclear energy in the Complementary Delegated Act for the EU Taxonomy.