Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Pete V. Domenici today renewed his call for production incentives to expand availability of clean, affordable nuclear energy for U.S. Consumers. Domenici issued his call at a 10:30 a.m. press conference today in SC-6. He was joined by Rep. Judy Biggert, Deputy Secretary of Energy Kyle McSlarrow and representatives from the University of Chicago, which today released the report, “Economic Future of Nuclear Energy.” Domenici’s statement: “As I said during consideration of comprehensive energy legislation and over the past many years, we need to expand nuclear energy in order to enhance our nation’s national security, energy security, economic security and growth and environmental security. “The University of Chicago’s report, made public today, shows that nuclear energy is a cost-effective choice for the future. With limited, early incentives, the nuclear power industry can swiftly produce profitable energy at fully competitive prices. America has both a golden opportunity and the strong need to move ahead with nuclear plants. The rising price of heating oil and natural gas and increased concerns over the possibility of global warming mandate an expanded use of clean, affordable, emissions-free nuclear energy. “Lately, there has been more support for new nuclear plants from surprising quarters. Noted environmentalist James Lovelock recently stated that ‘nuclear power is the only green solution’ to the world’s power needs. He went on to say that ‘opposition to nuclear energy is based on irrational fear fed by Hollywood-style fiction, the green lobbies and the media. These fears are unjustified and nuclear energy has proved to be the safest of all energy sources.’ “Just last week, the president of Britain’s Royal Society noted that they can not meet their emission reduction goals without building new nuclear plants. He stated ‘many of us want to believe in the promise of largely benign renewable energies, such as wind and solar, to satisfy completely our seemingly insatiable appetite for energy at low cost. But now is not the time to retreat into wishful thinking.’ “This report states that a production tax credit, just like the one I have advocated, would reduce the costs for first-of-a-kind construction. The costs of the lowest-cost reactor would be equal to, and in some cases, below the cost to build a new natural gas or coal plant. “I welcome and appreciate this affirmation of a production tax credit (PTC) like the one I have been advocating. Already we have seen this year three utilities take the first step in the rebirth of nuclear power with filing of early site permits (ESP’s), and three consortia were created by the industry to look into the combined construction and operating license (COL) process; a PTC makes it easier to take the second step.”