Date: March 24, 2015 Subject: Molten Salt Reactors at NASA Plum Brook Station Dear Members of the Ohio House of Representatives, The Institute for Energy Research (IER) is a not-‐for-‐profit organization that conducts extensive research and analysis on the functions, operations, and government regulation of energy markets. IER maintains that freely functioning markets provide the most efficient and effective solutions to today’s energy and environmental challenges and, as such, are critical to the well-‐being of individuals and society. IER closely follows public policy discussions surrounding energy at both the state and federal level. With its abundant resources and sensible energy policies, which up until now have kept your state’s electricity prices affordable, Ohio has emerged as a leader in energy innovation. It is in that spirit that we are pleased to take note of the discussion surrounding HCR-‐9 and the NASA Plum Brook plan. IER believes that the research and development of Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) hold great promise for the deployment of new generation nuclear technologies. IER favors abundant, affordable energy and supports all technologies that pass a rigorous and dynamic market test. We are always eager to see new technologies, like MSRs, have the opportunity to compete in a marketplace free of subsidies and mandates. We note that while MSR research and development has been limited to this point, the Ohio legislature still mandates that a certain percentage of Ohio’s electricity come from renewable technologies, such as wind and solar. If the Ohio legislature wants to continue to take an active role in shaping its energy future in a positive direction, we believe that open-‐ended research and development is far more effective than mandating or subsidizing the commercialization of well-‐known and inferior technologies. Thank you to all who have shown support for exploring cutting edge energy technologies, like Molten Salt Reactors. We must continue to expand our energy resources to meet our growing demands. Sincerely, Thomas J. Pyle President E: TPYLE@IERDC.ORG
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