Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe continued his criticism this week of why the U.S. continues to lag behind in the permitting process for more nuclear power plants in the country.
He made clear his opinion at a hearing held by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works where Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman Kristine Svinicki and commissioners Jeffery Baran and Stephen Burns testified.
“We are still not getting where we need to be in nuclear,” said Sen. Inhofe as he questioned Svinicki. “We’re just not getting there.”
He wanted to know what was the problem holding up more nuclear power plant permits.
“I thought maybe when a new administration came in that maybe we’re depending more on oil and gas,” continued Inhofe.
He told the commissioners the era of the Obama administration when nuclear power was opposed has ended.
“Now we have a new administration and the war on fossil fuel has ended but we are still not getting where we need to be in nuclear.”
But as Committee chairman Sen. John Barrasso, (R-Wyoming) explained, the commission is without its full strength of five commissioners.
“This is a situation I am eager to resolve. I continue to believe that the Commission functions best with all five commissioners in place,” said Barrasso. His criticism of the commission focused on its slowness in making uranium recovery decisions, pointing out they take far longer than those made ten years ago.
“This general lack of urgency is troubling,” stated the Senator whose home state produces more uranium than any other state. “The need for timely decision-making from the NRC is greater than ever.”