Bush: 'Nuclear a key to economic vitality'

22 June 2007

US President George Bush paid a visit to the recently restarted Browns Ferry 1 nuclear power unit on 21 June, making forthright statements on the benefits of nuclear power.

Bush visited the machine shop and control room of the 1155 MWe boiling water reactor unit before addressing about 230 workers and local officials.

In a wide-ranging speech on energy, Bush hailed nuclear as a safe, clean, affordable and reliable power source, which "is a key component of economic vitality, because it provides 20% of electricity."

On environmental issues, he said that "if you are interested in cleaning up the air, then you ought to be an advocate for nuclear power... There is no single solution to climate change, but there can be no solution without nuclear power."

"The world is seeing the promise and potential of the peaceful use of nuclear energy," said Bush, adding that Browns Ferry workers were acting in the spirit of President Dwight Eisenhower, who famously called for the worldwide use of peaceful nuclear power at the United Nations in 1953.

Raising the issue of reprocessing used nuclear fuel, Bush said the practice could "answer a lot of the charges of our critics who say 'What are you going to do with the fuel?'"

"Well here's a good answer: Recycle it, reburn it and reduce the amount of the problem. And that's what the United States needs to be doing."

He was referring to the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), which would see cooperation with other advanced nuclear nations to close the nuclear fuel cycle with reprocessing and advanced reactors. More energy could be gained from uranium resources and the volume of radioactive waste reduced by 90%, according to the Department of Energy.

Bush's speech touched on America's oil dependence and his proposals to reduce that through efficiency gains and alternative fuels such as ethanol. He said: "The whole idea is to come up with different ways to power our automobiles" and mentioned forthcoming plug-in electric or hybrid systems.

Further information

WNA's US Nuclear Power Industry information paper

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