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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2007
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Liz Purchia
202-338-CASE (2273)
media@CASEnergy.org
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CASEnergy Coalition Applauds Browns Ferry Restart
Restart of Unit 1 Reactor Sign of Positive Growth for the Nuclear Industry
WASHINGTON, DC, May 22, 2007 – Leaders of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition – the CASEnergy Coalition – strongly applaud the restart of the Unit 1 reactor today at the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in Alabama.
“The restart of Unit 1 at Browns Ferry proves the industry can undertake the large scale building projects necessary for the growth of nuclear energy in the United States,” said Dr. Patrick Moore, Co-Chair of the CASEnergy Coalition. “The CASEnergy Coalition is strongly committed to the growth of nuclear energy in this country and bringing the 104th reactor online is a positive step in that direction.”
Operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, Unit 1 at Browns Ferry has remained idle since 1985, with only Units 2 and 3 providing power to the East South Central Grid. That grid alone is estimated to need 33% more power by 2030 over current levels and the restart of Browns Ferry Unit 1 is an essential first step in meeting that need in a clean, safe, and affordable way with nuclear energy.
“We have serious challenges ahead in the energy sector, with rising demand for electricity and an increased and necessary commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, Co-Chair of the CASEnergy Coalition. “The United States needs a balanced electricity portfolio to have a truly responsible energy policy and nuclear energy needs to be a part of that equation.”
Nuclear energy currently provides 20% of electricity in the United States. The Department of Energy estimates that the U.S. will need an estimated 40% increase in electricity nationally by 2030.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 offered specific investment incentives and protection for builders of new nuclear energy reactors, which will help ensure that more new reactors will be added to the power mix in the United States. There are currently up to 34 potential new nuclear energy reactors proposed in the U.S. and the CASEnergy Coalition looks forward to welcoming more reactors online in the coming years.
About The CASEnergy Coalition:
The CASEnergy Coalition is a large grassroots coalition that unites unlikely allies across the business, environmental, academic, consumer and labor community to support nuclear energy. We believe that nuclear energy can improve energy security, ensure clean air quality, and enhance the quality of life and economic well-being of all Americans. The Coalition is led by Christine Todd Whitman, former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and former New Jersey Governor, and Patrick Moore, a co-founder and former leader of Greenpeace.
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