Political Quotes

“I ask unanimous consent that a copy of my opening statement at the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Budget Request Mr. ALEXANDER. We run a real risk of losing our best source of carbon-free power just at a time when most Americans are increasingly worried about climate change. Nuclear power must be part of our energy future if we want clean, cheap, and reliable energy that can create good jobs and keep America competitive in a global economy. Today 98 nuclear reactors provide about 20 percent of electricity in the United States, and 60 percent of all carbon-free electricity in the United States. But nuclear plants are closing because they cost too much to build and cannot compete with natural gas. Two reactors have announced they will retire later this year, and ten more have announced retirements by 2025. Let's do a little math here. If we closed those 12 reactors, that would mean a 17 percent decline in carbon-free nuclear power by 2025, which is 10 percent of carbon-free electricity. Today, solar power--despite impressive reductions in cost--provides 4 percent and wind provides 20 percent of carbon-free electricity despite billions of dollars in subsidies.…”