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New Nuclear Power Plants: Britain 10, U.S. Zero

Today, Anthony Faiola of the Washington Post reports that the British government unveiled plans yesterday to construct 10 nuclear power plants. He notes that:

“After years of resistance to construction of nuclear-power plants, the British plan underscored how nations around the world are scrambling to find ways to generate more energy while slashing the emissions that cause climate change. To do that, nations including the United States are considering more reliance on nuclear power, which, while generating radioactive waste, produces almost no carbon emissions.”

While Republicans have put forward a plan for increased nuclear power, the Obama Administration and Democrats in Congress continue to stand in the way. Just this morning, Keith Rogers of the Las Vegas Review Journal reported:

“The Obama administration intends to stop the pursuit of a license for the planned Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in December, according to internal budget documents from the Department of Energy. All license defense activities will be terminated in December 2009," said a draft Program Decision Memorandum that was attached to an Oct. 23 memo from DOE Chief Financial Officer Steve Isakowitz.”

As a reminder, the Republican American Energy Act establishes a national goal to bring 100 new nuclear reactors online over the next 20 years to strengthen America’s commitment to clean, reliable energy.