Nuclear Matters praises 'common-sense' Clean Power Plan

Former Sens. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Judd Gregg (R-NH), co-chairmen of Nuclear Matters, a nuclear power advocacy group, issued a statement after the final Clean Power Plan's release on Monday.

They said the Clean Power Plan offers process to reduce carbon emissions from power plants in a way that is feasible and that makes sense. They agreed with the plan in that pursuing fewer carbon emissions would require advancing alternative forms of electricity generation, including wind, solar, hydroelectric and nuclear energy.

The Clean Power Plan, formulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), aims to eliminate approximately 32 percent of carbon emissions released by electricity-generation stations, primarily from coal- and natural gas-powered energy.

“EPA’s Clean Power Plan acknowledges the need to move toward carbon-free technologies like nuclear to preserve the environment and ensure a cleaner energy future for our country," Bayh and Gregg said in their joint statement. "Today’s announcement creates a legal rationale for a common-sense principle that millions of Americans already understand."

They also said that in 2014, nuclear energy produced approximately 63 percent of low- or zero-carbon electricity, and it produced approximately 20 percent of total electricity. They said nuclear power will play an important role in carbon reduction.