Nuclear, coal and science get boost in Bush budget


Protective Relay Training - Basic

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 12 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$699
Coupon Price:
$599
Reserve Your Seat Today
Research into producing electricity from low-emission coal and nuclear plants saw big funding boosts in the 2009 budget request submitted by the U.S. Energy Department recently, along with experiments in basic energy sciences.

The 2009 budget proposed by the White House - which requires congressional approval - includes $25 billion in discretionary budget authority for the Energy Department, up nearly 5 percent from 2008.

The lion's share of the funds - about $9.1 billion - goes to securing U.S. nuclear weapon stockpiles. Funding for energy resource initiatives fell 10 percent to $3.65 billion, while funding for science programs rose 19 percent to $4.7 billion.

The budget requests big funding boosts for research into high energy physics, nuclear physics and basic energy sciences, which saw funding rise 19 percent to $1.57 billion.

A separate low-income energy assistance program overseen by the Health and Human Services Department fell 22 percent to $2 billion.

Nuclear energy initiatives saw increases across the board, and research into clean coal initiatives rose 40 percent to $818 million. Building a long-delayed nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada would get about $495 million in funds in 2009. The Energy Department plans to submit a license request for Yucca Mountain to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission later this year.

Capturing carbon emissions from coal plants and socking them away in underground reservoirs was at the top of the department's 2009 priority list. Carbon sequestration research got $400 million in funds, along with $241 million for demonstration projects.

Research initiatives at the DOE's office of energy efficiency and renewable energy saw cuts in research into hydrogen technology and weatherization programs and increases in biomass and biorefineries, with the aim of making cellulosic ethanol cost-competitive with conventional sources by 2012.

Related News

Will Iraq have enough electricity for coming hot summer days?

Iraq Electricity Crisis intensifies as summer heat drives demand; households face power outages, reliance on…
View more

Diesel Prices Return to Pre-Ukrainian Conflict Levels

France Diesel Prices at Pre-Ukraine Levels reflect energy market stabilization as supply chains adapt and…
View more

BC Hydro Expects To See Electricity Usage Rise This Holiday Season

BC Hydro Holiday Electricity Usage is set to rise as energy demand increases during peak…
View more

U.S. Launches $250 Million Program To Strengthen Energy Security For Rural Communities

DOE RMUC Cybersecurity Program supports rural, municipal, and small investor-owned utilities with grants, technical assistance,…
View more

BC Hydro Rates to Rise by 3.75% Over Two Years

British Columbia electricity rate increase will raise BC Hydro bills 3.75% over 2025-2026 to fund…
View more

Cyprus can’t delay joining the electricity highway

Cyprus Electricity Interconnectors link the island to the EU grid via EuroAsia and EuroAfrica projects,…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Download the 2026 Electrical Training Catalog

Explore 50+ live, expert-led electrical training courses –

  • Interactive
  • Flexible
  • CEU-cerified