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Alexander Announces Plan for 100 New Nuclear Power Plants in 20 Years
Calls for Rebirth of Industrial America While We Figure Out Renewable Electricity |
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May 27th, 2009 - Oak Ridge, Tenn. - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today told participants at the Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit that “the United States should build 100 new nuclear power plants during the next 20 years” to put America on the path to clean energy independence.
“One year ago, I came to Oak Ridge to propose a new ‘Manhattan Project’ to put America on the path to clean energy independence. The project would focus on seven ‘grand challenges’: plug-in electric cars and trucks, carbon capture from coal plants, making solar power cost-competitive, recycling used nuclear fuel, advanced biofuels from crops we don’t eat, green buildings and, finally, fusion,” Alexander said. “Today I am in Oak Ridge to propose that the United States build 100 new nuclear power plants during the next 20 years while scientists and engineers figure out these grand challenges. This would double America’s nuclear plants which today produce 20 percent of all our electricity, but 70 percent of our pollution-free, carbon-free electricity.”
Alexander noted that “today there is a huge energy gap between the renewable electricity we would like to have and the reliable, low-cost electricity we must have” and “conservation and nuclear power are the only real alternatives we have today to produce enough low-cost, reliable, clean electricity to clean the air, deal with climate the challenge and keep good jobs from going overseas.”
“Climate change may be the inconvenient problem, but nuclear power is the inconvenient answer,” Alexander added.
“The way both to deal with global warming and to keep our jobs is to encourage what is being called the ‘Nuclear Renaissance’ and start making nuclear energy the backbone of a new industrial economy,” Alexander said. “Right now there are 17 proposals for 26 new reactors in licensing hearings before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. That’s a start. But I think we need to go well beyond that. I propose that from the years 2010 to 2030 we build 100 new nuclear reactors to match the ones we already have operating.
“Just as we rose to the occasion in 1943 when we built this complex here at Oak Ridge, so can we rise to the occasion today to build a new generation of nuclear reactors that will provide clean, reliable power for America for the rest of this century. So I ask you here today to join in the task of bringing about this Nuclear Renaissance, in helping to generate the Rebirth of an Industrial America.”
A full transcript of Senator Alexander's remarks is available upon request.
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| November 2009 Press Releases: |
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November 22, 2009 -
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Alexander Discusses Health Care Reform, Afghanistan on Fox News Sunday
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November 21, 2009 -
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Alexander Says Health Care Bill Is “Historic in Its Arrogance”
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November 19, 2009 -
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Alexander Opposes Nomination of Judge Hamilton
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November 19, 2009 -
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Alexander Says New Health Bill Is “Same Turkey Americans Didn’t Like in August”
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November 18, 2009 -
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Enzi, Nelson, Alexander Move to Protect Student Loans
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November 18, 2009 -
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Alexander: Republican Proposals Lower Premiums and Reduce Costs, While Democrats Increase Premiums, Raise Taxes and Cut Medicare
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November 18, 2009 -
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Alexander: Food Safety Bill Passes Senate Hurdle
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November 17, 2009 -
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Alexander: Medicaid Expansion Creates Unfunded Mandate That Will Bankrupt States
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November 17, 2009 -
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Alexander, Corker Announce $101.4 Million for Tennessee Military Projects and Veterans Bill
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November 17, 2009 -
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Alexander Statement on Nomination of Judge Hamilton
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November 17, 2009 -
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Alexander, Webb Introduce Bipartisan Clean Energy Legislation with Emphasis on Nuclear Energy Investment
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November 16, 2009 -
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Alexander Statement on Tennessean Space Shuttle Pilot
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November 10, 2009 -
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Alexander Honors Veterans, Slain Mountain City Soldier on Senate Floor
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November 9, 2009 -
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Alexander: Democrats' Health Care Bill Puts U.S. on Path to Bankruptcy
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November 7, 2009 -
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Alexander: Health Care Reform Should Lower Costs, Not Add to Debt
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November 6, 2009 -
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Alexander Statement on Highest National Unemployment Rate in 26 Years
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November 6, 2009 -
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Alexander Announces Funding For Tennessee Justice and Science Programs
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November 5, 2009 -
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Alexander Says Democrats’ Health Care Plan Scares Seniors, Cuts Medicare
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November 5, 2009 -
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Alexander Opposes Democrats’ Cap-and-Trade Bill, Says Americans Want to Know Cost of New National Energy Tax
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November 4, 2009 -
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Alexander Votes to Give Tennesseans 20 Additional Weeks of Unemployment Benefits
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November 4, 2009 -
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Alexander Warns of Half Trillion Dollar Cut to Medicare in Democratic Health Care Plan
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November 4, 2009 -
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Alexander Assails Democrats’ $2 Trillion, 2,000-Page “Full of Surprises” Bill, Offers Republican Alternatives
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