WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVDN) – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a hearing on the nominations of Lee Beaman to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Douglas Weaver to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
During the hearing, Chairman Capito asked Douglas Weaver about increasing regulatory certainty at the NRC and his intentions for the management of NRC staff, budget and operations. Additionally, Chairman Capito asked Lee Beaman about energy affordability and the future of nuclear energy at the TVA.
HIGHLIGHTS:
NRC BUDGET ALLOCATION:
Chairman Capito:
“I’m going to start with you, Mr. Weaver. You know the NRC’s budget very well. The NRC, in testimonies in front of this committee, has a long record of misallocating their budget resources, and I have frequently expressed my frustration with that—the development, management, and execution process. This has resulted in excessive fees, paid by the nuclear industry, and delays in the Agency’s core licensing duties. During your time working for then-NRC Chair Klein, you had first-hand experience with the budget process, as I mentioned earlier. Based on your experience, what are the most important steps the NRC could take to improve how the budget is developed, managed, and executed?”
Douglas Weaver, nominee to be a Member of the NRC:
“I have to say, the NRC budget has vexed me, both when I worked there and as a member of industry trying to get clarity on some things. […] The NRC, as you know, collects most of its budget through fees—hourly fees as well as annual fees. Looked at holistically, about 25% of the fee-recoverable budget comes from hourly fees. And I think the staff has done a pretty good job being accountable for those […]. I think the opportunity in budgeting is in that 75% that’s covered by annual fees. There’s a lot less clarity about the staff’s plans on what they intend to accomplish with that 75 percent, and that can lead to higher annual fees. […] So, my solution would be to increase transparency during budget formulation inside the NRC, and when we’re in budget execution to have external transparency. What did we say we were going to do? Did we do it? And I think if we provide the Commission with that sort of clarity, the Commission then can decide […].”
NUCLEAR ENERGY GENERATION AT TVA
Chairman Capito:
“Mr. Beaman, TVA is one of the leaders in American nuclear energy, producing nearly 40 percent of its generation from nuclear power. TVA holds the Early Site Permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build a small modular reactor, or an SMR, at its Clinch River site. This would be the first SMR at an electric utility in the United States. What role do you see for nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors, in TVA’s power generation portfolio?”
Lee Beaman, nominee to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the TVA:
“I think nuclear power generation is the main future of power in the United States and probably around the world. And I think that TVA can lead the way as a template for the rest of the country on how we aggressively achieve that through clean nuclear power.”
NRC SENIOR LEADERSHIP:
Chairman Capito:
“Mr. Weaver, there has been an exodus of senior leadership—of positions that are critically important to the NRC. The Chairman selects, with the approval of the Commission, certain designated senior agency leaders. Would you please describe the key attributes and qualifications that you would prioritize as you’re considering individuals for senior leadership positions?”
Douglas Weaver, nominee to be a Member of the NRC:
“I think, number one, we need leaders who are going to motivate and inspire. The staff, I think, is feeling pretty low right now, due to the workload and the number of exits. So, number one is I think we need leadership to inspire and motivate. The leaders also must be committed to making independent regulatory decisions. That’s a nonnegotiable. Two other must-haves: they must be technically competent, they must understand the regulatory framework. Finally, I would say, they need to be committed to implementing the ADVANCE Act as well as the Executive Order 14300.”
Click HERE to watch Chairman Capito’s questions.
