NRC Chairman Visits Westinghouse

The head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Dale Klein, toured the Westinghouse facility today and met privately with company officials to discuss their work on advanced reactors. Klein says the country's energy needs are changing. The NRC is considering proposals to build nuclear power plants for the first time since the 1970s. The process includes a 30 month review, and site approval. So far, nine applications have been submitted. Three sites have been approved for possible construction, and more applications are expected. Klein says if approved, the first reactor would be ready to produce electricity in 2015. The NRC is working with Westinghouse because the company is building nuclear reactors in China.