that,â Dobken said. Another critical aspect of the campaign is member company involvement. Seeking to ... action alert
Oct. 6–Oct. 12, 2017 A report to members of the Nuclear Energy Institute
In This Issue Perry: FERC Directive Should Start Overdue Dialogue on Resiliency
1
Industry Urges NRC to Reform Reactor Design Certification Process
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Perry: FERC Directive Should Start Overdue Dialogue on Resiliency
DOE Secretary wants to “kick-start” conversation on grid resiliency, reliability
DOE supports restarting Yucca Mountain licensing process
Links civilian nuclear industry to national security
Oct. 12, 2017—The U.S. Department of Energy’s directive to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue a rule that helps accurately price electricity generation was intended to spark a conversation on the resiliency and reliability of the country’s electric grid, Energy Secretary Rick Perry told a hearing on Capitol Hill this week.
U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry. [Photo: Whitehouse.gov]
www.nei.org
“The base reason that we asked for FERC to look at this—to act—is that for years this has been kicked down the road,” Perry said during his testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy Subcommittee Oct. 12. “The 403 [directive to FERC] that I put forward was a way to kick-start a national discussion about the resiliency and reliability of the grid. … We’re having this conversation now that we really haven’t had in this country.”
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Oct. 6–Oct. 12, 2017
Last month, Perry directed FERC to issue a rule requiring electricity markets to develop and implement reforms that would fully compensate generation resources necessary to maintain the grid’s reliability and resiliency. In response, NEI President and Chief Executive Officer Maria Korsnick urged FERC to expeditiously implement DOE’s recommendations, adding that without electricity market reforms, early nuclear plant retirements will likely continue. During questioning, Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) asked, “Which is it, Mr. Secretary? Is this a directive to FERC or a conversation?” “Both,” Perry replied. “We can have a conversation and I think they [FERC] must move, I think they must act. We have kicked this can down the road as long as we need to.”
Nuclear Matters has launched a new website designed to be a better vehicle for encouraging advocacy engagement. The website enhances efforts to promote action in support of nuclear energy, create custom user experiences, encourage advocates to sign up for action alerts and email updates, and support social sharing of infographics, fact sheets and webpages. Users can log in with their social media or email accounts and find ways to take action on supporting nuclear energy. Quick and easy facts are available on the impact of nuclear energy in users’ states, as is general information about nuclear and jobs, security, climate and safety. Check out the site at www.nuclearmatters.com.
On Oct. 11, FERC denied the requests for extension of the time to file comments in response to DOE’s proposed rulemaking. In accordance with FERC's Oct. 4 notice, comments on the proposed rule are due on or before Oct. 23 and reply comments are due on or before Nov. 7. In his written testimony, Perry cited an earlier DOE study on how FERC could help ensure the grid’s reliability and resiliency. “The DOE staff report warns that the continued closure of traditional baseload power plants, especially coal and nuclear, means that ‘states and regions are accepting increased risks that could affect the future reliability and resilience of electricity delivery for consumers in their regions,’” the testimony said. “One of the DOE staff report’s chief policy recommendations is to correct distortions in price formation in the FERC-approved organized markets. Specifically, the report states, FERC should ‘expedite its efforts’ to improve energy price formation in centrally organized wholesale electricity markets.” During the hearing, representatives pressed Perry about support for advanced and small modular reactor technologies. When he answered, Perry drew a bright line between these new technologies and American leadership in nuclear energy. “One of the reasons we think it’s important to support the nuclear industry today is because we’ve been losing that race,” Perry said. “We don’t want to get to the point where the only people that have the technology and supply chain capability are the Russians, Chinese or Koreans. That’s a concern of mine, that we’re headed in that direction in this country because of the lack of support for the civilian nuclear power industry.” Perry also weighed in on a national used fuel strategy, including the Yucca Mountain licensing process. “The president’s fiscal year 2018 budget requests the funding to restart the Yucca Mountain licensing proceedings … and I support that,” Perry said. “The most important priority now is for Congress to appropriate the funding so that we can reopen the nuclear waste program. … The sooner we receive this funding, the sooner our scientists and lawyers can get to work.”
Oct. 6–Oct. 12, 2017
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At the hearing’s close, Perry noted the overall regulatory burden on nuclear energy. “It’s important to talk about nuclear energy as part of our [electricity] portfolio,” Perry said. “I don’t think anyone would argue right now that nuclear energy is healthy. It’s not. It’s not because of the regulatory burden that’s been put in place, the political burden put in place. I think for both our future energy security and national security, to have that industry be healthy is very important.” Perry’s written testimony and a webcast of the Oct. 12 hearing are available on the committee’s website.
