True North

I've written several posts now on advocating for more nuclear power plants and was very happy to see John McCain riding the pro-energy front kicked into high gear yesterday by President Bush. He spoke in favor of off shore drilling, clean coal, and had this to say about increasing our nuclear power plants.

McCain said the 104 nuclear reactors currently operating around the country produce about 20 percent of the nation's annual electricity needs.

"Every year, these reactors alone spare the atmosphere from the equivalent of nearly all auto emissions in America. Yet for all these benefits, we have not broken ground on a single nuclear plant in over thirty years," he said. "And our manufacturing base to even construct these plants is almost gone."

Even so, he said he would set the country on a course to build 45 new ones by 2030, with a longer-term goal of adding another 55 in the future.

"We will need to recover all the knowledge and skills that have been lost over three stagnant decades in a highly technical field," he conceded.

Later, at a news conference, McCain said he favors steps to reduce the time plant owners need to obtain the necessary permits. He suggested U.S. companies use common technology to shave the time in takes to bring a new nuclear facility on line. He also said a decision by President Carter three decades ago not to pursue fuel reprocessing technology should be reversed.

Keep it up Senator. 45 would be good, 100 would be better, 2 more per state.

This puts McCain and Senator Coleman very much in line on energy policy—favoring almost everyting short of opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska for oil drilling. On this they are as wrong as California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger saying no to drilling off the state's enourmously long coastline. But overall, Coleman and McCain are on the right pro-active track of energy development.