Senators on both sides of the aisle are expected to offer a warm reception to President Obama's pick to lead the Energy Department's Nuclear Energy Office this week.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is holding a hearing on the nomination of Peter Lyons for assistant secretary for nuclear energy at DOE, and Republican and Democratic leadership on the panel say the nomination will likely advance smoothly.

The White House nominated the former Senate aide last year to replace Warren "Pete" Miller, who stepped down on Nov. 5 during a flurry of Obama administration departures (Greenwire, Dec. 10, 2010).

Lyons has been serving as DOE's acting assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the agency since Miller left in November and prior to that was principal deputy assistant secretary since September 2009. He also served a full term as a commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from 2005 to 2009.

The nominee is inheriting a formidable responsibility in overseeing DOE's nuclear research arm, especially as funding cuts for nuclear energy research are on the table in budget discussions on Capitol Hill. Lyons will oversee a push to improve efficiency of reactors, extend reactor life beyond 60 years and solve concerns plaguing the long-term storage of nuclear waste.

House Republicans have recently peppered DOE with questions about Yucca Mountain, and why the agency pulled the plug on the project without offering a "viable alternative" (Greenwire, Feb. 24).

House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), who leads the Environment and Economy Subcommittee, asked last month whether DOE has any information after 20 years of research to prove the site in Nevada is not safe to serve as a permanent repository for nuclear waste.

Some Republicans have also raised the potential of continuing to develop the site as a repository, but the effort is unlikely to move far as long as Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), a leading critic of the project, remain in office.

Lyons will also oversee the department's development of advanced reactors including small modular reactors. The Obama administration is seeking a spending boost in its fiscal 2012 budget for the construction of these reactors, and lawmakers are closely eyeing development of such facilities as a means of reducing costs for construction, operation and upkeep.

Schedule: The hearing is tomorrow at 10 a.m. in Room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Witness: Department of Energy acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Peter Lyons.