Jack Spencer is a senior research fellow for Energy and Environmental Policy at The Heritage Foundation.
View all authorsEnergy Commentary
After six years and several court cases, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has finally released the report that every American has paid for and could… Read More
EnergyCommentary
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) voted to finalize its “continued storage” rule, establishing a general recognition that onsite storage of spent nuclear fuel is safe… Read More
EconomyCommentary
While the Export-Import Bank struggles to find reasons to justify its reauthorization, some have begun claiming that the U.S. nuclear industry needs Ex-Im to compete… Read More
EnergyCommentary
The Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee yesterday unveiled its energy and water spending bill, which includes an egregious tax on utilities for uranium… Read More
EconomyNews
Tonight President Obama will stand before Congress to take stock of where we’ve been as a nation and where he envisions America going. After five… Read More
Last week Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R–FL) introduced H.R. 3766, resurrecting the supposed “gold standard” for commercial nuclear trade. However, the bill discourages the very behavior… Read More
EnergyNews
Georgia is riding a wave of new nuclear energy that, five years ago, many thought would be more crowded by now. Georgia Public Services Commissioner Tim… Read More
EnergyNews
President Obama released his Climate Action Plan this week, which laid out his vision for reducing climate change. Regardless of what one thinks about climate… Read More
EnergyNews
Senators Ron Wyden (D–OR), Dianne Feinstein (D–CA), Lamar Alexander (R–TN), and Lisa Murkowski (R–AK) finally released a discussion draft of their much anticipated nuclear waste… Read More
The Department of Energy (DOE) released its long-awaited “Strategy for the Management and Disposal of Used Nuclear Fuel and High-level Radioactive Waste” Friday afternoon. Regrettably,… Read More
EnergyNews
Yucca Mountain was dead—to begin with. There was no doubt whatsoever about that. The register of its burial was signed by the Senator, the Chairman,… Read More
EnergyNews
Few think of a calm pool of water when they think of nuclear waste. While nuclear waste must be handled with skill and care, the… Read More
The Uranium Working Group (UWG)—established by Governor Bob McDonnell (R–VA) to help Virginia state legislators determine the regulatory requirements for uranium mining—released its final report… Read More
The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its Annual World Energy Outlook this week with the headline that the U.S. could become a net exporter of… Read More
News
The Fukushima nuclear reactor accident in March 2011 challenged the public’s perception of nuclear power. However, much of this disillusionment simply stems from a lack… Read More
This Friday, the House of Representatives will vote on the No More Solyndras Act, which would prohibit any new loan guarantees from Title XVII of… Read More
“What is radiation?” That simple, three-word question largely embodies the concerns that many Americans have about nuclear power. The answer can be just as complicated… Read More
What’s it like to live near a nuclear power plant? To many, such a prospect might seem dangerous or scary. But like with most things… Read More
While nuclear energy is unique, uranium, its primary fuel, occurs naturally within the earth much like other, better understood energy sources such as coal, oil,… Read More
Nuclear power plants produce almost 80 percent of the emission-free energy in the nation, and cooling towers—though often misunderstood—are an essential part of what makes… Read More
News
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing tomorrow on the nomination of Allison Macfarlane and the re-nomination of Kristine Svinicki… Read More
The expiration of the production tax credit (PTC) for wind and other renewable energy sources is the subject of intense debate. Some see the credit… Read More
Last week, President Barack Obama announced that he would nominate Dr. Allison Macfarlane, a nuclear waste expert from George Mason University, as the United States’… Read More
Two major financial news publications, the Economist and The Wall Street Journal, published major articles in the past week arguing that the American nuclear renaissance… Read More
When the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) voted last week to approve permits to begin construction on two nuclear reactors, many hailed the decision as the… Read More
The White House released its much-awaited Report of the Independent Consultant’s Review with Respect to the Department of Energy’s Loan and Loan Guarantee Portfolio. Unfortunately,… Read More
The President’s Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) on America’s Nuclear Future released its final report late last week. It provides a thoughtful overview of how America’s… Read More
Buried deep within the President’s tax plan is a proposal to “reauthorize the special assessment from domestic nuclear utilities.” Translation: The President wants to place… Read More
On June 28, 2010, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board—a three-judge panel charged with conducting licensing hearings for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)—rejected the Department… Read More
The Department of Energy (DOE) holds approximately the equivalent of 59,000 tons of natural uranium. This includes low-enriched uranium, highly enriched uranium, depleted uranium left… Read More
