Antinuclear

Cosy deals between USA energy official and nuclear industry

Spencer Abraham Cashes, DC Bureau,  By Joseph Trento,   February 2nd, 2012   “…  January 30 was former U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham’s last day as the non-executive chairman of Areva Enterprises Inc, the French atomic power firm’s American operation. This marked the end of a very lucrative arrangement for both Abraham and the French government own nuclear company – mostly at U.S. taxpayers’ expense.

It all began in the 1990s when the United States’ response to disposing of 34 metric tons of plutonium from shuttered nuclear weapons programs was a proposed mixed oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina. When Abraham became Energy Secretary in 2001, Areva was a key contractor for the MOX plant. According to his DOE calendars, among his first trips were to France to visit their nuclear officials and operations. Abraham maintained a close relationship with the then head of Areva, Anne Lauvergeon. In turn, not long after he left the Energy Department, Abraham cashed in and went to work for Areva and “Atomic Annie,” as she was known. In 2007, DOE broke ground on the MOX plant.
Today, the DOE’s MOX fuel plant is still under construction. It has cost billions of dollars, is over budget and behind schedule. But Spencer Abraham will never be held responsible for the cost overruns and delays. In fact, he has been handsomely rewarded.

Despite spending billions of dollars on the MOX plant, DOE has yet to line up a single customer even with massive government subsidies being offered to buy the fuel. No utility will touch it…..

But the good news for Areva is the tax paid contract is still bringing in the big bucks with no end in sight…..

When is enough, enough? How much money do former government officials have to make before they go home and give back to their communities rather than take money to influence their friends in Washington? Perhaps if we knew that answer, we could save the American taxpayers money. Instead of drafting ethic laws that become jokes before the ink is dry, perhaps we could just cut to the chase, cut them a check, and make them go home. http://www.dcbureau.org/201202026986/natural-resources-news-service/spencer-abraham-cashes-in.html

February 3, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized