Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols has been chosen to co-chair the five-year Nuclear Energy Partnership. The new partnership was set up by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners with support from the U.S. Department of Energy. Through this educational partnership, NARUC will provide opportunities for state public service commissioners and commission staff across the country to better understand challenges and opportunities related to U.S. nuclear power plants, the nation’s largest source of zero-carbon energy.

“Nuclear energy currently provides almost a quarter of Georgia’s electricity, and the anticipated completion of two new units at Plant Vogtle will cement nuclear power’s role in our energy portfolio,” said Echols. “I look forward to sharing nuclear regulatory strategies with other states, as well as collaborating with federal and industry stakeholders to recognize and advance opportunities for emerging technologies.”

In 2020, 94 nuclear reactors produced approximately 20 percent of U.S. electricity. On average, plants are nearing 40 years of operation. Understanding the reliability and environmental attributes of existing reactors as well as growth pathways for advanced nuclear technologies, such as small modular reactors, will be key focus areas for the partnership. By building institutional networks and relationships between state and federal decision-makers, who will affect both the retention of existing nuclear reactors and the deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies, this partnership will coordinate on technical, environmental and economic issues relating to the use of nuclear energy and the options available to maintain its competitiveness in a diverse, reliable, environmentally friendly and affordable energy mix.

Commissioner Anthony O’Donnell of the Maryland Public Service Commission will co-chair the partnership with Echols. O’Donnell and Echols are also the chair and vice chair, respectively, of the NARUC Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues – Waste Disposal.

The Nuclear Energy Partnership will initially include commissioners and staff representing 18 states and territories from coast to coast. Throughout the partnership, members will engage in programming such as stakeholder dialogues, peer sharing calls, site visits, educational webinars and briefing papers for NARUC’s state members.

The partnership, which will hold its kick-off meeting in March, is supported by the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy through the NARUC Center for Partnerships and Innovation.

“The Office of Nuclear Energy aims to advance nuclear power as a resource capable of meeting the nation’s energy, environmental and national security needs by resolving technical, cost, safety, proliferation resistance and security barriers through research, development and demonstration,” said DOE Acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dennis Miotla. “This partnership with NARUC elevates the experience and needs of state energy regulators, helping the Office achieve its mission.”

NARUC CPI Senior Manager Kiera Zitelman is the primary coordinator and point of contact for the partnership and Program Officer Jasmine McAdams will provide additional support. To see the complete list of Nuclear Energy Partnership members and NARUC staff support, visit bit.ly/38dtUuK.

This is Commissioner Echols’ second term on the Georgia Public Service Commission, having been re-elected statewide in November 2016. You can find his complete biography and photo on the Commission web site at https://psc.ga.gov/about-the-psc/commissioners/tim-echols/ Echols has been called the Solar Architect for Georgia, part of the Dynamic Duo for EVs and received the Nuclear Trailblazer award from United States Nuclear Infrastructure Council.