Nuclear power plant safety and reliability to the subcommittee on energy research and production committee on science and technology United States house of representatives

The Energy Committee of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) appreciates this opportunity to submit its views to the House Science and Technology Committee Subcommittee on Energy Research and Production on the issue of the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants. As you know, the IEEE has long been on record in support of nuclear power. At the present time about 30% of our nation´s fuel consumption is for the purpose of producing electrical energy. By 1990 this proportion is expected to be 37% and to increase to 50% by the year 2000. If the electrical energy produced by nuclear power plants in 1978 had been supplied by oil-fired stations, an additional 470 million barrels of oil would have been required, increasing our 1978 oil imports by about 12%. This would have increased our imbalance in foreign trade by over $5 billion. By 1985 the additional imports, which would be needed to replace nuclear power, are expected to triple. The economic penalty without nuclear power is a vital concern to our nation and must be evaluated along with the risks.