I write to you today as someone concerned about climate change and clean energy, to ask you to co-sponsor S. 903, the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA). The U.S. is the birthplace of nuclear energy technologies, and has been an international leader in this area. Our country has benefited from the influence that this brings, including ensuring that nuclear technologies are used wisely and responsibly, all around the world. Unfortunately, this influence is being eroded by the increasingly aggressive moves being made by China, Russia and others to offer their own nuclear technology to international customers. U.S. leadership in this area is therefore at significant risk if steps are not taken to increase our investment in our nuclear research and development of advanced reactors to power our future generations. The NELA includes a number of provisions to address this situation, and to restore U.S. global nuclear energy leadership. Long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) which are authorized by the bill will allow government to commit to up to 40 years of power purchase from next-generation reactors. This removes much of the uncertainty for developers, as it ensures that they will have a market to sell into, for a long enough duration to ensure a reasonable return on their investment. Directing the DoE to develop specific goals and a 10-year plan for the development and research of advanced nuclear technology is another benefit. THe bill will boost the development of a fast neutron reactor test facility, something that the U.S. does not currently have (only China and Russia currently have this capability). This is exceptionally important as it is needed to test and certify fuels and materials used in new reactor designs. Development of a program to provide advanced fuel materials to reactor designers is another key provision, which is necessary for those design efforts to continue without having to leave the U.S. to develop and test with them. A final, and key provision of this bill is to establish a “university nuclear leadership program”, which will be focused on providing a world-class highly-skilled workforce that can design, build, regulate, safeguard and operate current and next-generation nuclear reactors. This workforce is key to our success, and will help ensure our continued strong global leadership in this important field. Nuclear energy offers the promise of plentiful, clean, affordable, safe energy for our world. Will you support the NELA legislation to support U.S. efforts to continue to develop and improve it?

I write to you today as someone concerned about climate change and clean energy, to ask you to co-sponsor S. 903, the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA). The U.S. is the birthplace of nuclear energy technologies, and has been an international leader in this area. Our country has benefited from the influence that this brings, including ensuring that nuclear technologies are used wisely and responsibly, all around the world. Unfortunately, this influence is being eroded by the increasingly aggressive moves being made by China, Russia and others to offer their own nuclear technology to international customers. U.S. leadership in this area is therefore at significant risk if steps are not taken to increase our investment in our nuclear research and development of advanced reactors to power our future generations. The NELA includes a number of provisions to address this situation, and to restore U.S. global nuclear energy leadership. Long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) which are authorized by the bill will allow government to commit to up to 40 years of power purchase from next-generation reactors. This removes much of the uncertainty for developers, as it ensures that they will have a market to sell into, for a long enough duration to ensure a reasonable return on their investment. Directing the DoE to develop specific goals and a 10-year plan for the development and research of advanced nuclear technology is another benefit. THe bill will boost the development of a fast neutron reactor test facility, something that the U.S. does not currently have (only China and Russia currently have this capability). This is exceptionally important as it is needed to test and certify fuels and materials used in new reactor designs. Development of a program to provide advanced fuel materials to reactor designers is another key provision, which is necessary for those design efforts to continue without having to leave the U.S. to develop and test with them. A final, and key provision of this bill is to establish a “university nuclear leadership program”, which will be focused on providing a world-class highly-skilled workforce that can design, build, regulate, safeguard and operate current and next-generation nuclear reactors. This workforce is key to our success, and will help ensure our continued strong global leadership in this important field. Nuclear energy offers the promise of plentiful, clean, affordable, safe energy for our world. Will you support the NELA legislation to support U.S. efforts to continue to develop and improve it?

I write to you today as someone concerned about climate change and clean energy, to ask you to co-sponsor S. 903, the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA). The U.S. is the birthplace of nuclear energy technologies, and has been an international leader in this area. Our country has benefited from the influence that this brings, including ensuring that nuclear technologies are used wisely and responsibly, all around the world. Unfortunately, this influence is being eroded by the increasingly aggressive moves being made by China, Russia and others to offer their own nuclear technology to international customers. U.S. leadership in this area is therefore at significant risk if steps are not taken to increase our investment in our nuclear research and development of advanced reactors to power our future generations. The NELA includes a number of provisions to address this situation, and to restore U.S. global nuclear energy leadership. Long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) which are authorized by the bill will allow government to commit to up to 40 years of power purchase from next-generation reactors. This removes much of the uncertainty for developers, as it ensures that they will have a market to sell into, for a long enough duration to ensure a reasonable return on their investment. Directing the DoE to develop specific goals and a 10-year plan for the development and research of advanced nuclear technology is another benefit. THe bill will boost the development of a fast neutron reactor test facility, something that the U.S. does not currently have (only China and Russia currently have this capability). This is exceptionally important as it is needed to test and certify fuels and materials used in new reactor designs. Development of a program to provide advanced fuel materials to reactor designers is another key provision, which is necessary for those design efforts to continue without having to leave the U.S. to develop and test with them. A final, and key provision of this bill is to establish a “university nuclear leadership program”, which will be focused on providing a world-class highly-skilled workforce that can design, build, regulate, safeguard and operate current and next-generation nuclear reactors. This workforce is key to our success, and will help ensure our continued strong global leadership in this important field. Nuclear energy offers the promise of plentiful, clean, affordable, safe energy for our world. Will you support the NELA legislation to support U.S. efforts to continue to develop and improve it?

I write to you today as someone concerned about climate change and clean energy, to ask you to co-sponsor S. 903, the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA). The U.S. is the birthplace of nuclear energy technologies, and has been an international leader in this area. Our country has benefited from the influence that this brings, including ensuring that nuclear technologies are used wisely and responsibly, all around the world. Unfortunately, this influence is being eroded by the increasingly aggressive moves being made by China, Russia and others to offer their own nuclear technology to international customers. U.S. leadership in this area is therefore at significant risk if steps are not taken to increase our investment in our nuclear research and development of advanced reactors to power our future generations. The NELA includes a number of provisions to address this situation, and to restore U.S. global nuclear energy leadership. Long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) which are authorized by the bill will allow government to commit to up to 40 years of power purchase from next-generation reactors. This removes much of the uncertainty for developers, as it ensures that they will have a market to sell into, for a long enough duration to ensure a reasonable return on their investment. Directing the DoE to develop specific goals and a 10-year plan for the development and research of advanced nuclear technology is another benefit. THe bill will boost the development of a fast neutron reactor test facility, something that the U.S. does not currently have (only China and Russia currently have this capability). This is exceptionally important as it is needed to test and certify fuels and materials used in new reactor designs. Development of a program to provide advanced fuel materials to reactor designers is another key provision, which is necessary for those design efforts to continue without having to leave the U.S. to develop and test with them. A final, and key provision of this bill is to establish a “university nuclear leadership program”, which will be focused on providing a world-class highly-skilled workforce that can design, build, regulate, safeguard and operate current and next-generation nuclear reactors. This workforce is key to our success, and will help ensure our continued strong global leadership in this important field. Nuclear energy offers the promise of plentiful, clean, affordable, safe energy for our world. Will you support the NELA legislation to support U.S. efforts to continue to develop and improve it?