Dear Mr. Boehler: We strongly support the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation’s proposal enabling it to provide financial backing for nuclear power projects. DFC’s key objectives—impactful global development, advancement of U.S. foreign policy and generation of returns for American taxpayers—will be significantly enhanced by the ability to support clean nuclear power projects.
Impactful global development requires clean and reliable electricity. Clean nuclear energy, working in tandem with other technologies, can effectively meet this requirement. More than 25 countries are looking to develop a modern nuclear energy program, and more than 20 others are looking to expand existing programs. More than half of the countries considering a clean nuclear program are low-income or lower-middle-income by current World Bank standards.
The global map of clean nuclear energy is expanding as next-generation reactor designs come to market. Many developing countries that never considered a large plant due to the cost, construction complexity and grid incompatibility regard small and advanced reactor designs as a good fit for their needs, including water desalination and process heat for industry.