The Department of Energy’s top nuclear official is expressing skepticism about a bipartisan proposal to provide billions in federal funding for over-budget reactor projects, breaking with a measure widely backed by the nuclear industry.
Theodore Garrish, the department’s assistant secretary for nuclear energy, appeared before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday to discuss DOE’s progress toward meeting ambitious nuclear expansion goals outlined in a series of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump.
But Garrish surprised some lawmakers by declining to endorse legislation that many industry advocates view as critical to deploying next-generation reactors needed to meet those targets.
“I understand one of the ways to deal with [over-budget reactors] is to spend more money,” Garrish told lawmakers. “I’m not necessarily convinced that we need to do that.”
