Alexander to chair hearing on new nuclear power

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Lamar Alexander, who considers nuclear power a cleaner alternative to burning fossil fuels, said Tuesday he plans to hold a hearing on the future of nuclear power in the United States.

The hearing March 4 before his Senate Energy subcommittee will focus on the Tennessee Valley Authority’s $1.8 billion restart of an aging reactor at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in Athens, Ala.

The Browns Ferry Unit 1 reactor, commissioned in 1973 and shuttered since 1985, is scheduled to return to service in 2007.

Completion of Browns Ferry will represent the first new nuclear capacity in the United States in 20 years, Alexander said.

“If we’re really serious about clean air, I think we’re going to have to build more nuclear plants,” the Tennessee Republican said. “New nuclear power is clean energy that will reduce our dependence on foreign gas and should be cost effective.”

Alexander, who also is chairman of the TVA congressional caucus, said the “whole country is watching TVA” as it works to restart Browns Ferry.

“All early indications are that it is going well — on time and within budget. I want to focus on that and use it as an example for the rest of the country,” Alexander said.