Opinion Pieces

This story originally appeared in the Augusta Press.
By: Rick Allen (GA-12)

An all-of-the-above strategy is critical to reclaiming American energy dominance, and nuclear—our nation’s largest source of clean energy—has a pivotal role to play.

In the United States, we have 11,000 utility-scale electric power plants currently under operation, less than 60 of which are nuclear power plants. Even with such a relatively small footprint, nuclear energy accounts for approximately 20% of our energy production, and approximately 50% of all emission-free energy generated in the country. Nuclear power plants can operate 24/7, providing a stable baseload supply of electricity. This reliability is crucial for maintaining grid stability and ensuring uninterrupted power supply, particularly during periods of high demand or adverse weather conditions.

In Georgia’s 12th District, we are leading America’s nuclear future with the first two new nuclear reactors, units 3 and 4, built in over three decades in the United States located at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro—representing a key investment in Georgia’s clean energy future. In July 2023, Unit 3 entered commercial operation and is now providing reliable, carbon-free energy to customers and businesses across the Peach State and more. Unit 4 is not far behind, as it was recently connected to the electric grid for the first time. It is now the largest nuclear power station in the United States, right in our backyard!

But as we saw through the construction process at Plant Vogtle, nuclear projects in the U.S. are often bogged down by burdensome licensing and permitting processes. That’s why my colleagues and I on the Energy and Commerce Committee have been hard at work crafting legislative solutions to modernize the regulatory framework that can hamstring our nuclear capabilities.

Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6544, the Atomic Energy Advancement Act, a bipartisan package of bills that aims to incentivize and advance nuclear energy production in the United States. I was proud that a bill I introduced, the Nuclear Licensing Efficiency Act, was included in H.R. 6544.

Specifically, the Nuclear Licensing Efficiency Act provides efficient, timely, and predictable reviews of applications and proceedings for licenses of nuclear reactors. It allows information that was used in the licensing process for an existing nuclear reactor site to be used in further licensing and permitting at that site, and it establishes a timeframe of once every three years to update performance metrics and milestone schedules to be as efficient as possible.

The Atomic Energy Advancement Act passed in the House by a vote of 365-36, showing that even during times of heightened political divisiveness, Republicans and Democrats agree that restoring America’s nuclear dominance is essential. As we conclude Energy Week in the House of Representatives, I call on my Senate colleagues to pass this bipartisan legislation and send it to President Biden’s desk. We must harness the full potential of nuclear power as a clean, reliable, and economically viable energy source to enhance energy security, foster economic prosperity, and uplift communities around the world. 

Rep. Rick W. Allen serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and represents Georgia’s 12th Congressional District—home to Plant Vogtle, the largest nuclear power station in the United States.