Unidentified witness warns U.S. nuclear industry has stagnated as China, Russia dominate new construction

An unidentified speaker (labeled "Speaker 1" in the transcript) told the House Energy and Commerce Committee that the U.S. nuclear energy industry has stagnated while China and Russia have surged ahead. "China and Russia surged ahead, now accounting for 94% of reactors under construction worldwide," the speaker said, framing the gap as a strategic and economic concern.

The speaker said the competition "isn't just about electricity," adding that it touches "American jobs, domestic manufacturing, exporting knowledge and equipment, and secure supply chains." The comments linked energy policy to manufacturing and trade, arguing that a decline in domestic nuclear activity weakens related industrial capabilities.

The witness warned of a loss of human capital underpinning the sector: "We've watched critical skills atrophy and lost a generation of nuclear expertise," the speaker said, portraying workforce shortages and eroded technical know-how as obstacles to any U.S. effort to rebuild nuclear capacity.

To address those shortfalls, the speaker urged rebuilding "the workforce, supply chains, and the industrial base that comes with it," urging policy and investment focused not only on reactors but on the trained labor and manufacturing network needed to support them. The remarks did not propose a specific bill or vote; the transcript records a statement to the House Energy and Commerce Committee without a formal motion or recorded outcome.