THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 15, 1995 TAG: 9512150012
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
Worldwide there is a rapidly growing electricity-hungry market valued at many billions of dollars. The Pacific Rim is leading this demand, and these nations are requiring that it be met in large measure with nuclear power. If the United States does not help the developing world in this regard, there are others who will.
With government help, Japan and France are designing safer, more economical and more efficient nuclear power plants for the 21st century. The United States is being left behind.
Although a partnership of government and industry is working on several excellent advanced reactor designs in the United States, this program has just been pared down by Congress and receives little support from the administration.
While other countries are reaping an enormous return on their investment in nuclear energy, the United States is in danger of losing its leadership and competitive position in this field. We need continued government support for advanced reactor designs.
And sometime in the not too distant future, when natural gas prices begin to rise, we are going to need new nuclear plants here in the United States.
ALBERT B. REYNOLDS
Charlottesville, Dec. 6, 1995 MEMO: Mr. Reynolds is a professor of Nuclear Engineering at the University of
Virginia
by CNB