Report urges U.S. to embrace nuclear power growth, despite risks

WASHINGTON, July 8 (UPI) — A report from a State Department advisory panel says a coming large expansion in global nuclear power generation poses proliferation risks, but the United States must embrace it to ensure that nuclear supplier nations build safeguards into the growing market.

The report highlights division among experts about the future of civil nuclear power across the globe, the risks it poses, and the degree to which U.S. policy should support its spread. Some critics of the report say the expansion of nuclear power is not inevitable and should be resisted.

A task force of the International Security Advisory Board — chaired by former Pentagon and World Bank official Paul Wolfowitz — produced the report, titled “Proliferation Implications of the Global Expansion of Civil Nuclear Power,” in response to a request from Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Robert Joseph.

The task force, led by former Reagan and Bush I arms negotiator and government scientist C. Paul Robinson, produced their relatively brief (10 pages, with about twice that in appendices and introductory material) report in just two months earlier this year. A copy was posted recently on the State Department Web site.

United Press International