Senate Energy Committee holds oversight hearing on sustainable, low emission, electricity generation
Prepared statements of the witnesses can be found at http://energy.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1129.
Most of the questions related to nuclear energy were directed to Dr. Moniz, one of the authors of the 2003 study on The Future of Nuclear Power. Chairman Domenici indicated he concurred with most of the findings in the 2003 report, although there were a few items on which his opinion differed. In his oral presentation, Dr. Moniz stated his support for the production tax credit provisions for new nuclear plants contained in the energy bill conference report (H.R. 6) which passed the House last fall but did not pass the Senate.
Chairman Domenici and Dr. Moniz both lamented the lack of adequate budget requests for research and engineering programs in general and nuclear science and technology programs specifically. Chairman Domenici, who also chairs the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, vowed to work to fill the gap for funding of nuclear R&D programs created by the 2005 budget request.
Other topics raised by committee members and the witnesses include how to improve understanding of the environmental benefits of nuclear power; how to reverse the decay of engineering in the U.S.; and the Department's plans for following the clean coal technology roadmap.
