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“US-RUSSIA NUCLEAR COOPERATION” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Senate section on pages S6864 on Oct. 20, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
US-RUSSIA NUCLEAR COOPERATION
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, today I wish to note the importance of growing Russian-American cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy. Our common interests in this area are a significant opportunity to enhance energy security and economic growth for both nations. Just as importantly, building on a good record of cooperation on nuclear energy can form a basis for improving our relationship with the Russian Federation more broadly.
As the two largest nuclear complexes, the United States and Russia play an essential role in setting global standards. We have worked effectively together on non-proliferation initiatives through the Nunn-
Lugar program for nearly a generation. But our cooperation in nuclear energy is not as well known.
Russia has long been America's largest foreign partner in nuclear power through the HEU-LEU Agreement of 1993. Better known as the
``Megatons-for-Megawatts'' agreement, Russia's nuclear corporation Rosatom has converted fissile material from thousands of weapons into energy for American homes and businesses. Nearly half of the fuel used in U.S. reactors is of Russian origin, which accounts for 10 percent of the electricity produced in this country.
In terms of nuclear technology, we have a lot to learn from one another. If the event at the Fukushima reactors in Japan has taught us anything, it's that nuclear safety is an issue that crosses borders. The recent signing of the ``Joint Statement on the Strategic Direction of U.S.-Russian Nuclear Cooperation'' between Rosatom and the Department of Energy is a good example and will take advantage of Russian technological leadership on advanced reactors with passive safety systems. It recognizes that the long-term answers on nuclear safety will be a new generation of inherently safe reactors.
I applaud the work of the Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Security Working Group led by Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Poneman and Rosatom Director General Sergey Kirienko. By expanding their joint efforts to include nuclear safety and development of a global framework for nuclear energy, they are bringing the world's best technical expertise to bear on critical issues that must be addressed to sustain public confidence in nuclear energy.
Mr. President, cooperative efforts between the United States and Russia in civil nuclear energy are a success story in an often complex relationship. Building on this relationship should be a priority for both countries.
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