Gallego Speaks on the Importance of Nuclear Energy at NEI Forum

“Energy independence matters. Nuclear power will bring us that energy independence, it will bring us that wage growth, it will bring that stability” WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), ranking member of the Senate Energy Subcommittee, gave keynote remarks at the Nuclear Energy Institute’s Nuclear Policy Forum, highlighting the importance of nuclear energy in lowering costs and strengthening U.S. energy independence. “As ranking member of the energy subcommittee, the future of energy is something that I think about every day,” said Senator Gallego. “But right now, our energy system is directly under pressure. Energy demand is rising faster than it ever has. […] Arizona seems to be kind of leading that front, and some of that is for good reasons. We have a growing economy, we have a potential game-changing tech when it comes to AI, and the energy demand comes from that.” Senator Gallego emphasized that expanding nuclear energy would strengthen U.S. energy independence, create good-paying jobs, and help keep costs down for working families. “The solution is possible. How and what can we do to make energy cheaper, affordable and more reliable, and at the same time making sure that we have that growth that comes from wage growth when it comes to high end manufacturing, manufacturing jobs,” Senator Gallego continued. “If we can get the right nuclear and energy portfolio mix – especially nuclear – to be able to meet the demands of the future, you’re gonna be able to get two things: number one, steady, reliable energy; number two, low carbon emissions; and number three, good paying jobs.” “Energy independence matters. Nuclear power will bring us that energy independence, it will bring us that wage growth, it will bring that stability for the person like my mom or my cousins who are worried about the utility bill, and it will bring good paying jobs,” Gallego said. In February, Senator Gallego co-led the introduction of the bipartisan ARC Act to accelerate investment in and encourage completion of new commercial nuclear reactors by minimizing the risk of project cost overruns. “One of the things that I’m very proud of is putting together a bipartisan bill with the help of Senator Risch from Idaho, called the ARC Act . The ARC Act is to encourage the restart, the rebirth of nuclear power in this country. We’ve gone way too long, and we put so many burdens on creating nuclear energy that it has actually scared a lot of y’all from even getting help,” Senator Gallego continued. “There’s a lot of bad things this administration has done […] but the one area that I do agree with them is that they have an extremely aggressive [approach] in terms of actually making the NRC a real commission that’s pro nuclear, instead of trying to kill nuclear.” In December, Senator Gallego released his vision for America’s energy future, “ Fostering American Energy Innovation and Affordability ,” to ensure future investments are focused on the most affordable, reliable, and efficient forms of energy. Pillar two of the plan highlights the importance of investing in emerging technologies, like advanced nuclear and small modular reactors.