Energy leaders tour INL
Four U.S. senators, three of whom are on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, toured the Idaho National Laboratory on Friday.
The INL joined Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) in welcoming senior Republican members of the Committee, ranking committee member Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).
The lawmakers first stopped at the INL’s Energy Systems Laboratory for energy research. They got a chance to view the science behind modular reactors, smart car batteries, among several other energy innovations the lab has to offer.
“When I talk about our security as a nation, our leadership as a nation, it all begins with energy. So for me, this is a holiday. To be surrounded by this level of expertise and great thought in critically important area, it’s just amazing,” said Murkowski.
Risch said this tour was great for their committees pursuit for INL funding, as the nation moves toward more clean and affordable energy.
“There’s no question about it. As the decades and centuries progress, human beings on the earth are going to be hungrier for energy. The only thing that can produce that load is nuclear energy,” said Risch.
