Steven Chu, U.S. energy secretary, says nuclear power will continue to be an important part of the energy mix in the U.S. and around the world.
In a speech before several hundred plant employees at Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle on Wednesday, Chu outlined a national energy policy that he said values the role nuclear plays in confronting energy security and jobs creation in a struggling global economy.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission last week approved two new nuclear units for Vogtle. That action was the first time in three decades that the U.S. has said new nuclear units can be built.
Chu also announced up to $10 million in new funding for innovative research and development in advanced nuclear reactor and fuel cycle technologies, the Department of Energy said.
