Nuclear Matters' Browner releases statement concerning White House Summit on nuclear energy

Carol Browner, member of the Leadership Council for Nuclear Matters and former Environmental Protection Agency administrator, issued a statement Friday following the White House Summit on nuclear energy.

“Unfortunately, the existing nuclear fleet is currently undervalued for its environmental benefits,” Browner said. “This is contributing to the premature closure of some nuclear plants and jeopardizes our ability to meet our carbon-cutting goals. We need a serious approach to preserving these plants to help us obtain the cleaner, greener energy mix that is so critical to America’s economic and energy security.”

She noted that President Barack Obama’s administration recognizes the importance of the nuclear generation fleet within the U.S. and its role in clean energy generation nationally. According to Browner, nuclear generation makes up approximately 64 percent of carbon-free generation in the U.S., and she said that climate change plans will require support for existing power plants.
   
The summit followed the announcement from Entergy Corp. earlier this month that said the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant will close by the early part of 2017.

Nuclear Matters is an advocacy group for the promotion of nuclear forms of energy generation and its benefits and to raise awareness of economic challenges that the industry faces.