Remarks Highlight the Resurgence of Nuclear Energy as a Source of Clean and Reliable Electric Power

Nov. 16, 2009

Washington, D.C. - Former Senator Pete Domenici, Senior Fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center, today received the W. Bennett Lewis Award from the American Nuclear Society. In his remarks, Senator Domenici reflected on his 36-year career in the United States Senate and his longtime support for nuclear energy. During the opening plenary session entitled Nuclear Power: Crafting Energy Solutions, Senator Domenici was joined by several distinguished experts including Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and current Senators Jeff Bingaman and Lamar Alexander.

“During my tenure as Senator and leader of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I was proud to be known as a strong proponent of nuclear power,” said Domenici before receiving the Lewis Award from Carl Rau, President of Bechtel Nuclear Power. “More than 12 years ago, I spoke at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University to propose a ‘new nuclear paradigm’ and to usher in a resurgence of nuclear energy. In 2005, our committee passed a landmark and bipartisan energy bill, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which included adequate support for the nuclear power industry and encouraged the nuclear renaissance our country needs to deliver reliable, economical, and clean electricity.”

The Lewis Award is granted to an individual who has made major lifetime contributions in the nuclear field. The award honors Dr. W. Bennett Lewis, a visionary who understood the importance of providing a clean and abundant source of energy to support the world population for generations to come.

“The Lewis Award is fitting recognition of Senator Domenici’s commitment to nuclear science and his dedication to ensuring America is a global leader on these issues,” said Dave Conover, Senior Vice President of the Bipartisan Policy Center. “We are fortunate that the Senator has joined us as a Senior Fellow and we welcome his expertise, especially in the areas of energy and the national debt.”

The Bipartisan Policy Center was founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole and George Mitchell to demonstrate that consensus and principled compromise can be achieved on difficult issues when policy differences are debated in a thoughtful and constructive manner. The BPC is currently conducting projects in the areas of energy, health care, national security, transportation, science, financial services and homeland security. For more information about the BPC, please visit: www.bipartisanpolicy.org.

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