Business, Academic and State Leaders Launch Nuclear Energy for Texans
Posted on: Tuesday, 3 June 2008, 12:00 CDT
AUSTIN, Texas, June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Business, academic and state leaders today announced the formation of Nuclear Energy for Texans (NET), a new coalition dedicated to raising awareness about the benefits of nuclear energy as a clean, safe, reliable alternative to meeting the increasing energy needs of the state.
"Texas is expecting a surge in electricity demand over the next 20 years as our population continues to expand," Tom Forbes, NET president, said. "We must have an energy mix in place that allows Texas to stay competitive as the need for power is expected to grow 48 percent by 2030. NET believes nuclear energy must be a part of that mix as we move into the 21st century."
The coalition is led by a steering committee composed of state and local elected officials, representatives of business and industry, academics and the scientific and engineering community. NET will work to raise visibility on the issue of nuclear energy through research, a coordinated public information campaign, speaking engagements and public participation events.
NET is sponsored by Exelon Nuclear, the largest nuclear operator in the United States. Leading NET as president is Tom Forbes, an attorney with Kemp Smith, LLP in Austin. In addition to having long-term experience on energy-related issues in Texas, Forbes previously chaired the State Legislation Committee, Sunset Review Committee and the Administrative Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.
Members of the NET steering committee include: * Red McCombs, owner, McCombs Enterprises * The Honorable Bill Ratliff, former Lt. Governor of Texas * The Honorable Clyde Alexander, member, State Parks Advisory Committee * The Honorable Jim Wyatt, president, African-American Chamber of Commerce of Victoria * CPS Energy, San Antonio * Becky Armendariz Klein, president, RA Klein & Co. * The Honorable Glenn Hegar, Jr., Texas State Senator * Lee Peddicord, Ph.D., P.E., professor of nuclear engineering, Texas A&M University * Grant Billingsley, Wagner & Brown, Ltd., Midland, Texas * Consumer Energy Alliance * William Blanchard, CEO, DeTar Hospital, Victoria, Texas * Donald Day, past-president, Associated Builders and Contractors of Texas * Exelon Generation * Dale Fowler, president, Victoria Economic Development Corporation * Hector Gutierrez, El Paso Electric, Co. * Sheldon Landsberger, Ph.D., coordinator, Nuclear and Radiation Engineering Program, The University of Texas at Austin * Luminant * The Honorable Geanie Morrison, Texas State Representative * John W. Poston, Sr., Ph.D., past-president, Health Physics Society * The Honorable Donald Pozzi, Victoria County Judge * Maria Teran, board member, Public Service Board of El Paso * Texas State Association of Electrical Workers (IBEW) * Wilbur (Skip) Porter, Ph.D., founding president, Houston Advanced Research Center * The Honorable Bruce Todd, former Mayor of Austin
NET is committed to preserving Texas' clean air through a diverse energy platform that includes nuclear energy. Generating electricity with clean nuclear energy from one large plant is the equivalent of taking one million cars off Texas roads for one year.
"Few issues unite Texans as strongly as our conviction that clean air is a birthright of our state," Forbes said. "No other reliable source, capable of producing the amount of electricity that nuclear can produce, can do it emissions free."
The state's two nuclear plants, South Texas Project and Comanche Peak, have been safe, steady producers of inexpensive electricity for two decades.
These clean, emission-free plants helped Texas avoid the emission of 70,700 tons of sulfur dioxide, 19,500 tons of nitrogen oxide and 28.8 metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2005. The 19,500 tons of nitrogen oxide is the same amount of nitrogen oxide released in one year by one million passenger cars. There are 8.7 million cars registered in Texas.
"At the same time that we are in need of safe, clean, reliable energy as a state, the country is looking to decrease reliance on foreign energy sources," Forbes continued. "We believe the answer to these parallel needs for abundant energy sources and keeping our air as clean as possible in Texas is harnessing nuclear energy to safely generate needed electricity."
Initial funding for NET comes from Exelon Nuclear, with other NET members contributing financial support as well.
For more information about NET, visit http://www.nuclearenergyfortexans.org/.
Contacts: Laurie Parker Elizabeth Christian & Associates Public Relations 512.494.2865 (mobile) 512.423-8857 Rebecca Hind Elizabeth Christian & Associates Public Relations 512.494.2864
Nuclear Energy for Texans
CONTACT: Laurie Parker, +1-512-494-2865, or mobile, +1-512-423-8857, orRebecca Hind, +1-512-494-2864, both of Elizabeth Christian & Associates PublicRelations for Nuclear Energy for Texans
Web site: http://www.nuclearenergyfortexans.org/
Source: PRNewswire
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