Angie Craig: “the amendment authorizes a new program within the Department of Energy called Nuclear Power 2010. The new program was…”

“the amendment authorizes a new program within the Department of Energy called Nuclear Power 2010. The new program was proposed in the administration's fiscal year 2003 budget. Senator Murkowski, Senator Landrieu, Senator Domenici, and Senator Thurmond are supporters of this effort. We think it is the appropriate direction to go in the development of a new energy package. The goal of Nuclear Power 2010 is to aggressively pursue activities that will result in the completion of designs for the next generation of nuclear reactors. This program will also look for ways to reduce the regulatory uncertainties which have been obstacles to the building of new nuclear plants. This program would incorporate cost sharing between government and industry to ensure that the outcome of this program will be not only beneficial but useful to both sides as new designs are developed. This program will also garner the tremendous creativity of the technical minds within the Department of Energy and our National Laboratories--some great minds that have been sitting somewhat idle in the area of new design and reactor development over the last number of years. In my home State of Idaho, for example, Argon West was the first ever nuclear effort that lit the first lightbulb. Strangely enough, a lot of folks don't know that about Idaho. But the reactor that generated that was an experimental breeder reactor. That was well over 50 years ago.”