VIENNA, AUSTRIA – U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dennis Spurgeon today announced that the Department will provide $80,000 to co-sponsor, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other countries, a workshop on infrastructure issues related to the introduction of nuclear power into countries seeking to establish nuclear generating capacity.  This funding will encourage developing nations to consider needed infrastructure development as part of their participation in the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP).  The workshop will be held December 4-6, 2006, in Vienna, Austria. 

“Under GNEP, the U.S. seeks to work with the international community to bring the benefits of nuclear energy to the world in a manner that is safe and secure,” Assistant Secretary Spurgeon said.  “In an effort to hasten the benefits of nuclear power globally, we will extend a helping hand to emerging economies so that they can develop the necessary basic human, regulatory, legal and physical infrastructure to build and operate new nuclear power plants.”

Participants of the conference will include representatives of countries without nuclear power plants and who are interested in using nuclear power as a source of electricity, representatives from supplier countries, and representatives of countries interested in the future application of nuclear power.  The funding may be used to defray costs of government officials from emerging economies who wish to attend.

Additional information on this conference may be found on the IAEA web site at:
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/Announcements.asp?ConfID=32785

Media contact(s):
Craig Stevens, (202) 586-4940