McCain sets goal: 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030

John McCain said on Wednesday that he wanted 45 new nuclear reactors built in the US by 2030, a course he called 8220;as difficult as it is necessary8221;.

In his third straight day of campaign speechmaking about energy and 4-a-gallon gasoline, McCain told the crowd at a town-hall-style meeting at Missouri State University that he saw nuclear power as a clean, safe alternative to traditional sources of energy that emit greenhouse gases. He said his ultimate goal was 100 new nuclear plants.

McCain has long promoted nuclear reactors, but Wednesday was the first time that he specified the number of plants he envisioned.

Currently there are 104 reactors in the US supplying some 20 per cent of electricity consumed. No new nuclear power plant has been built in the US since the 1970s.

8220;China, Russia and India are all planning to build more than a 100 new power plants among them in the coming decades,8221; McCain said. 8220;Across Europe there are 197 reactors in operation8230; And if all of these nations can find a way to carry out great goals in energy policy, then I assure you that the US is more than equal to the challenge.8221;