Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)

The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) is a trade association advocating for nuclear power on behalf of nuclear-industry interests. The Nuclear Energy Institute advocates nuclear power as an always available, zero emission source of electricity. NEI educates and advances that nuclear energy is a safe, reliable, and a clean power source that can provide jobs and infrastructure.

History and Members

The Nuclear Energy Institute was founded in 1994 with the merger of several nuclear-energy industry associations. ¹ Nuclear Energy Institute members include companies that own or operate nuclear power plants, reactor designers, advanced technology companies, universities and research laboratories, consulting services and manufacturing companies, nuclear medicine and nuclear industrial applications, fuel suppliers, law firms, labor unions, and international electric utilities. ¹ As of November 2022, NEI had 334 members. ²

Positions

The Nuclear Energy Institute promotes the benefits of nuclear power, advocates for pro-nuclear policies, and educates on the benefits of nuclear energy. ³ NEI seeks to inform the public on what nuclear energy is, how a reactor works, that nuclear fuel is used for electricity, what constitutes nuclear waste, safety, and the future of nuclear power. ⁴ The Nuclear Energy Institute advocates for nuclear energy as solution to de-carbonization, smarter regulations, and building new and preserving older nuclear plants, and promotes nuclear energy as a means of making the U.S. more competitive globally. ⁵

As of 2021, the United States was the top nuclear energy producing country by production but did not rank in the top 15 in percent of total electricity produced. ⁶ NEI has stated that nuclear energy has the potential to provide more than 40 percent of U.S. electricity by 2050. ⁷

NEI argues that nuclear power produces more carbon-free electricity than all other clean sources combined, contributes to the combatting of global warming, is essential to national defense through powering the military, can produce low-cost energy to poorer nations around the world, improves air quality, and produces new jobs and infrastructure. ⁸

The Nuclear Energy Institute hosts a yearly “nuclear energy assembly” to bring together government leaders, industry, environmentalists, corporations, inventors, and others interested in nuclear energy. ⁹ NEI also conducts forums and events on nuclear matters such as used fuel, cybersecurity, national security and emergency preparedness, nuclear fuel supply, radiation protection, and other issues such as regulatory affairs and women in nuclear. ¹⁰

The Nuclear Energy Institute provides resources and updates on nuclear plants in the war in Ukraine, reports and briefs, maps and statistics on the 92 nuclear reactors in the U.S., regulatory and legislative testimony, and letters and filings with government agencies. ¹¹

NGO Opposition to Nuclear Energy

The Nuclear Energy Institute claims that nuclear power produces zero emissions and promotes it based on its availability regardless of environmental conditions of the wind or sun with windmills and solar power. ¹² Author Robert Bryce found that non-governmental organization (NGO) groups were funding environmental groups and anti-hydrocarbon and anti-nuclear groups by more than a 4 to 1 margin. ¹³ Among the environmental anti-hydrocarbon and anti-nuclear NGOs, $4.5 billion was raised to oppose nuclear energy, prohibit the use of natural gas, halt construction of new hydrocarbon infrastructure, promote global warming concerns, and promote select renewable energy. ¹³

Funding

In 2018, the Nuclear Energy Institute had net assets of $3,561,925. ¹⁴ According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2018 NEI recorded $49,863,878 in revenue and $51,033,901 in expenses. ¹⁴ In 2017, the Nuclear Energy Institute raised $57,818,643 in revenue and $56,529,436 in expenses. ¹⁵

Leadership

Maria G. Korsnick has been president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute since January 2017 after spending two years as chief operating officer at NEI from 2015 to 2016. ¹⁶ Korsnick was Northeast senior vice president for operations at Exelon Nuclear from 2014 to 2015. ¹⁶ Korsnick worked at Constellation Energy Nuclear Group as chief nuclear officer from 2010 to 2015, corporate vice president from 2007 to 2010, and as site vice president in Rochester, New York from 2007 to 2010. ¹⁶ Korsnick began her career at Constellation as an engineer in 1986. ¹⁷ She has a bachelor’s degree in nuclear/chemical engineering from the University of Maryland. ¹⁶