Earth Equity News

Obama Delivers on Nuclear Loan Guarantee. By Peter Behr, ClimateWire, February 17, 2010. "The Obama administration pledged on February 16 a conditional $8.3 billion loan guarantee to support the construction of two nuclear reactors in Georgia, which would be the first new U.S. nuclear plants in more than three decades. More commitments are on the way, officials said. Administration climate adviser Carol Browner said yesterday that the Energy Department's preliminary commitment to Southern Co. and its partners in the $14 billion Plant Vogtle development was hopefully 'the first of many new nuclear projects.' Jonathan Silver, executive director of DOE's loan guarantee program, said the administration is 'actively engaged in advanced work on three other transactions' and has begun analysis on four more beyond that. The next three in the queue, according to industry officials, are projects in southern Maryland, San Antonio, and Fairfield County, S.C. DOE has not identified any of the projects it is reviewing or said when final decisions may come. The administration's fiscal 2011 budget request asks Congress to add $36 billion to the nuclear loan guarantee program."