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Clay Sell was
sworn in as
Deputy Secretary
of Energy on
March 21, 2005.
In this role, he
serves as the
Department’s
Chief Operating
Officer,
assisting the
Secretary with
policy and
programmatic
oversight over
the 100,000
employee, $23
billion agency.
He plays a vital
role in
maintaining and
strengthening
the economic and
national
security of the
Nation, and is a
driving force
behind the
Global Nuclear
Energy
Partnership,
which he
discusses with
The Ripon Forum
below:
RF: What
is the goal of
the Global
Nuclear Energy
Partnership?
Sell: The
primary goals of
GNEP are: 1) To
increase access
to clean,
non-emitting
nuclear energy
throughout the
world; 2)
Increase the
amount of energy
generated by
nuclear fuel
while decreasing
the amount of
material that
must be disposed
in a waste
repository; and
3) Reduce the
risk of
proliferation by
providing fuel
cycle services
to developing
countries so
they do not need
to develop
uranium
enrichment or
spent fuel
reprocessing
capabilities.
RF: What
is the reaction
among other
countries to
this
initiative?
Sell:
International
interest in GNEP
has been very
strong. DOE has
briefed energy
officials in
foreign
capitals,
government
representatives
at the IAEA in
Vienna, and
visiting foreign
dignitaries.
Many Embassy
Science
Counselors in
Washington have
received
briefings at DOE
Headquarters.
We can’t speak
for individual
countries, but
in general, many
countries have
expressed strong
interest in
participating in
the GNEP vision.
For example,
Russian
President Putin
was quoted in
the media
recently as
speaking
favorably about
GNEP and his
country’s
potential
involvement.
It’s important
to note that
GNEP, right now,
is a vision and
a work in
progress. It’s
also important
to note that the
“P” in GNEP
stands for
partnership. We
intend to
continue to have
discussions with
other countries
over the best
way to attain
the GNEP vision,
which is making
nuclear power
available to
every country
without
developing
countries having
to construct
fuel cycle
facilities for
enrichment or
reprocessing.
We are also
making progress
with some of our
international
partners on
defining joint
work needed to
demonstrate
advanced
recycling
technologies.
RF: What
about the
reaction on
Capitol Hill?
Sell: The
reaction has
generally been
quite positive,
depending upon
the individual
member. As the
Energy
Department
provides more
detail about the
GNEP vision and
how it hopes to
go about
obtaining that
vision, I
believe there
will be even
greater
acceptance of
GNEP. We are
hopeful that
Congress will
fund the GNEP
program at the
Administration’s
full request of
$250 million for
FY07, a tangible
endorsement of
the GNEP vision.
RF: The
House voted this
past May to cut
the
Administration’s
funding request
for GNEP. Does
this reflect a
lack of support
for the program
itself, or a
concern over how
it falls in with
other budget
priorities? Do
you think these
cuts will be
restored in
conference?
Sell:
Probably a
little of both,
but as we make
progress
detailing and
explaining the
GNEP vision, I
believe many
House members
are becoming
more comfortable
with the
program. I’m
hopeful when the
Conference
Committee
completes its
work this fall,
DOE will receive
full funding for
its FY ‘07
request for GNEP.
RF: Do
you think the
American people
are ready for a
new emphasis and
expansion of
nuclear power?
Sell:
Yes. Polling
from a number of
sources has told
us over recent
years that the
majority of
Americans
support nuclear
power as a part
of this
country’s energy
portfolio. I am
excited about
the prospects
for nuclear
power in the
U.S. and abroad.
Nuclear power
proves to be a
safe, clean and
emissions-free
alternative to
fossil fuels,
which is why
President Bush
and we at the
Energy
Department are
doing everything
we can to
support and
encourage the
expansion of
such a promising
source of
power. The U.S.
currently gets
20 percent of
our electricity
from nuclear
energy in the
United States
and we look
forward to
getting more
nuclear power
plants up and
running soon.
And hopefully,
as a result of
the Energy
Policy Act of
2005, which
makes available
federal risk
insurance for
the first six
new nuclear
power plants,
industry will
have enough
incentive and
support to move
forward – which
could eventually
have enormous
consequences for
the American
energy sector,
for our economy,
for our national
security and for
generations to
come.
RF:
Practically
speaking, if all
goes as the
Administration
hopes, when
would the United
States start
seeing the
benefits of this
Partnership?
Sell: I
believe we are
already seeing
some benefits,
in that
countries all
over the world
are talking
about the GNEP
vision of
providing fuel
cycle services
that will give
developing
nations access
to nuclear power
without having
to build
enrichment or
reprocessing
facilities.
Hopefully, this
discussion will
lead to
commitments that
developing
countries can
rely on. In
this country,
DOE is moving
forward with
looking at
potential sites
and technologies
for two
important GNEP
facilities:
• An Advanced
Burner Reactor,
which is a fast
reactor that
will use
transmutation
fuel and consume
transuranic
elements within
the fuel and
generate
electricity.
• A Consolidated
Fuel Treatment
Center, where
usable uranium
and transuranics
would be
extracted from
spent
light-water
reactor fuel for
use in
fabricating fast
reactor fuel.
DOE anticipates
beginning an
environmental
impact study of
technologies and
sites sometime
this year. A
final decision
on whether to
proceed with
facilities would
be made in 2008,
followed by
construction.
RF
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