In a world of low oil prices and cheap natural gas, the prospects of developing new nuclear technology seem to remain ever in the future, beyond market and regulatory barriers, Roll Call reports.  

“To be practical, we all know that the gestation time of a new nuclear technology is very long,” Energy Secretary Ernest J. Moniz said last month in laying out his view of energy issues on the horizon. “It’s hard to get from here to there, frankly, and there’s the regulatory challenge.”  

The nuclear industry and some lawmakers want to change that with action now.  

Tennessee Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, said Thursday he will be leading a review of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s budget to see what changes could be made to allow construction of new reactors.