President Barack Obama’s proposals on nuclear energy do little to back up his pro-nuclear rhetoric. Most worrisome is his effort to terminate the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository project. Read More.
There are approximately 440 commercial nuclear reactors operating around the world. One hundred and four of them are operating in the U.S. alone. With the exception of a few highly publicized and mostly misunderstood accidents, these reactors have operated safely, cleanly, and to the benefit of society for most of their lifetimes. Read More.
America needs an energy policy that promotes environmental sustainability and economic growth. Yet many Members of Congress and the Administration are promoting policies and promulgating regulations that centralize power in Washington. Read More.
This report is available in Japanese. Click here to read. Abstract: Due to the accidents at the Fukushima nuclear plant in March 2011, the Japanese government is re-evaluating its commitment to nuclear energy. Japan’s apprehension about nuclear power is… Read more
Abstract:The Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future has just released its recommendations on how to resolve America's nuclear waste dilemma. The Blue Ribbon Commission has provided some sound analysis and introduced some new ideas, but overall, it has focused more… Read more
Years will pass before we fully understand what happened at the Fukushima nuclear power plants. Nonetheless, broad lessons can be learned based on information available. Lesson One: Human error is a far greater threat than technology. Unforeseen… Read more
Abstract: H.R. 1280—a new bill currently before the House of Representatives—is intended to ensure that America’s commercial nuclear exports do not lead to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Designed as an amendment to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, the bill has a laudable… Read more
The House and Senate are considering bills that are meant to help development of small and modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). These new reactors could provide all of the attractive qualities of large reactors—such as being safe, emissions-free sources of electricity—but at lower upfront costs with greater flexibility. Unfortunately, the two… Read more
Testimony before Subcommittee on Energy and Power Committee on Energy and Commerce United States House of Representatives June 3, 2011 … Read more
Abstract: On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit Japan, severely damaging and disabling the cooling systems at the Fukushima nuclear reactor. Radiation leaks have led to an evacuation zone, a no-go area, and traces of radiation ending up as… Read more
Abstract: Government spending has been spiraling upward in nearly all areas—and spending by most government agencies can, and should, be cut. President Obama recently submitted his 2012 budget request to Congress, providing fertile ground for spending cuts. One of the fastest-growing federal agencies, the… Read more
Jack Spencer discusses nuclear energy. … Read more
It's time for common sense; I'm Ernest Istook. … Read more
Senator Harry Reid’s (D–NV) re-election campaign against Sharron Angle provides a historic new opportunity to establish a new Yucca Mountain policy that benefits Nevadans and the U.S. Unfortunately, the omnibus spending bill currently under consideration would de-fund the program. While Reid’s staunch opposition to the project has brought it close… Read more
Abstract: More and more companies—in the U.S. and abroad—are investing in new commercial nuclear enterprises, chief among them, small modular reactors (SMRs). The SMR industry is growing, with many promising developments in the works—which is precisely why the government should not interfere, as subsidies… Read more
Statement to the Reactor and Fuel Cycle Technology Subcommittee of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future August 30th, 2010 … Read more
When it comes to tax policy, what once were vices now are habits. A quick glance at the tax provisions in the President’s budget reveals lists and lists of special tax deductions and credits. Legislation again moving in Congress to extend certain expired and expiring tax provisions includes yet another… Read more
America’s current system for responding to oil spills was largely shaped by the reaction to the 1989 Exxon Valdez tanker spill off Alaska. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 set up new procedures for offshore cleanups, one significant change being that the federal government, led by the U.S. Coast … Read more
Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Jim Webb (D-VA) recently introduced their bipartisan Clean Energy Act of 2009 (CEA 2009), which aims to create a business and regulatory environment to double nuclear power production in just two decades. While their reform efforts are laudable and necessary, most… Read more
Gasoline prices are steadily rising toward $4 per gallon, the price that triggers public outcry and congressional response. In a recent interview, Senator Lindsay Graham (R–SC) said that at $4 gasoline, “everybody is tripping over themselves to find an energy policy.”[1] Graham then mentioned he would start work… Read more
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="580" caption="Photo courtesy of the Athens Banner-Herald."][/caption] State...… Read more
The President’s Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) on America’s Nuclear Future released its final report late last week. It...… Read more
Last week, Representative Ed Markey (D–CA) sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu questioning whether...… Read more
[caption id="attachment_83440" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="A general view shows the reactor at the nuclear...… Read more
Buried deep within the President’s tax plan is a proposal to “reauthorize the special assessment from domestic nuclear...… Read more
America’s trucking industry is on pace to pay a whopping $138.7 billion for fuel in 2011 -- an increase of $37.2...… Read more
House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) said there is bipartisan support in Congress to move forward with...… Read more
The Department of Energy (DOE) holds approximately the equivalent of 59,000 tons of natural uranium. This includes...… Read more
The impact of the Japanese earthquake on its nuclear reactors continues to capture the world’s attention. Reports of...… Read more
Since the Gulf oil spill nearly a year ago, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement has...… Read more
Director, Center for Data Analysis
Senior Research Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies and International Energy Policy, The Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies
Research Fellow in Energy Economics and Climate Change
Policy Analyst
Research Fellow, Nuclear Energy Policy