WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a time of growing energy demand, investment in nuclear power can be important to the economic future of the United States, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) said last week.
Gallego told the Nuclear Energy Institute’s Policy Forum May 12-13 that getting the right mix of nuclear energy in the domestic energy portfolio checks out a handful of important boxes. Gallego said nuclear power can provide safe and reliable energy, avoid carbon emissions and provide high-paying jobs for the American future.
As nuclear power has garnered support from both political parties in recent years, the moment to move forward with building nuclear reactors to power the future is now, Gallego said.
To support incoming nuclear endeavors, Gallego said he and Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), with the help of NEI, have put together the Accelerating Reliable Capacity – or ARC – Act of 2026 to encourage new reactor construction.
There has been little nuclear industry construction for years, partly due to regulatory burdens, Gallego said. The ARC Act legislation would work with the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing to establish a financial program to help offset financial risk.
In mentioning regulatory burdens, Gallego said he agreed with President Donald Trump administration’s actions to retool the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
“There’s a lot of bad things this administration has done, like a lot of bad things, like war for example, but the one area I agree with them is that they have been extremely aggressive in terms of making the NRC a real commission that’s pro-nuclear, instead of trying to kill nuclear,” Gallego said.
“I think that’s something we have to recognize that will be a net benefit to whatever administration comes next,” Gallego added.
Gallego also said nuclear power is needed for energy independence and national security. Geopolitical issues, such as the U.S.-Iran conflict have outlined the importance of energy independence, he said.
“The American public now understands that energy independence really does matter for our national security,” Gallego said. “The fact that we basically slow and grind our economy down to a halt when only 20% of the world’s oil is being halted in the Strait of Hormuz scares the hell out of everybody. Imagine what that can do on a grander scale, so energy independence matters. Nuclear power will bring us that energy independence.”