Congressman Fred Upton is urging Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to promote more domestic production of nuclear fuel and to support the construction of new nuclear power plants in the United States. He and House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers have sent a letter to Granholm making the requests. Upton tells WSJM News given recent events, the U.S. should broaden its energy portfolio.
“Nuclear energy can be a very important part of the mix knowing that it’s carbon neutral,” Upton said. “No carbon emissions are coming from a nuclear energy plant.”
Upton says it’s been 20 or 30 years since a new nuclear power plant was built. He notes the federal infrastructure bill included funds to help with keeping plants that are scheduled to shutdown open. Governor Gretchen Whitmer has sought money from that fund to keep the Palisades plant open, something which Upton says would be a challenge given that it’s about to run out of fuel and some staff have already found other jobs. Palisades is set to close at the end of this month.
