President Bush: "A secure energy future must include nuclear power."

Today, the President was in Ohio to talk about his national energy policy, and nuclear energy's place in the nation's diverse energy mix. Here's an excerpt from the transcript:

Many people have concerns about the safety of nuclear power. I know that. So do you. Yet, decades of experience in advances in technology have proven that nuclear power is reliable and secure. We're taking early steps towards licensing the nuclear power plants because a secure energy future must include nuclear power.

UPDATE: Here's a statement from John Kane, NEI's Vice President for Governmental Affairs:

“We applaud President Bush for raising Americans’ awareness that nuclear energy is one of the foundations of our nation’s electricity infrastructure, and that it must remain a pillar of U.S. energy security in the generations to come.

“More than 100 nuclear power plants operating in 31 states provide electricity to one of every five homes and businesses, and they do so affordably, efficiently and cleanly. Given these benefits, it is appropriate for national energy policy to stimulate investment in new nuclear power plants, just as it encourages investment in wind and solar projects along with clean coal- and natural gas-fired power plants.

“The nuclear energy sector joins with President Bush in calling for Congress to enact comprehensive energy policy legislation now. Energy security doesn’t come overnight, and the longer we wait, the more intractable our nation’s energy challenges will become.”

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