DOE's Spurgeon sees himself as nuclear energy's 'chief salesman'

DOE's Spurgeon sees himself as nuclear energy's 'chief salesman'

Washington (Platts)--20Apr2006

The US nuclear industry has "atrophied a bit" and the Department of
Energy needs to work more with nuclear utilities and the industry to
reinvigorate it, Dennis Spurgeon, DOE's new assistant secretary for nuclear
energy, said during a meeting today with reporters.

"If we're successful, we have a pretty good opportunity to finish what
they started," Spurgeon said, pointing out the conference room mural showing
President Dwight Eisenhower delivering his 1953 "Atoms for Peace" speech at
the United Nations. "I believe that we have a historic opportunity to pursue
the nuclear dream that was once there and make it a reality," he said.

Spurgeon said he viewed himself as "the chief salesman for nuclear
energy" and called an order for a new power reactor in the US his top
priority.

Spurgeon added that he believed US is "fairly close" to seeing that
happen. No new reactors have been ordered and built in the US since the 1970s.

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