Dan Brouillette, secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), has said that the country needs to revive its nuclear-energy industry and increase investments in related research and development efforts.
Brouillette wrote in an opinion piece published Thursday on Defense One that the U.S. must establish nuclear power as a clean, reliable and safe energy source that can drive industrial leadership in areas such as uranium mining, fuel technology and reactor development.
He added that a robust nuclear strategy will help the country strengthen international policy relations through the export of nuclear technologies and fuel sources. Such strategies will also help prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and drive U.S. credibility in the global market, Brouilette noted.
“To get back on track, we must revive America’s nuclear energy industry and restore our competitive advantage,” he said. “Ensuring a viable American nuclear industry would further secure future supply chains.”
Previously, the National Nuclear Security Administration reported that the U.S. has sufficient unobligated uranium fuel to support U.S. Navy propulsion systems through the 2050s and tritium production through 2041, according to Brouillette.
