http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20101006/NEWS01/10060316

Sen. Sue Errington, D-Muncie, championed wind energy during a recent debate with Eckerty, a Republican real estate investor who expressed support for nuclear energy before being cut off by the time clock.

Eckerty told the audience at Ball State University that the United States can't compete with the Chinese in the manufacturing of wind, solar and other alternative energy products. He said the U.S. needs to look beyond wind, solar and biomass to energy sources of the future, including nuclear.

Errington, describing herself as a leading proponent of renewable energy at the Statehouse, responded: "I'm not ready to give this up to the Chinese. We are still in this fight."

In an interview after the debate, Eckerty said: "I am happy to have (wind turbine gear box maker) Brevini here, but there is a next thing besides wind and solar. If the Chinese decide to take over wind and solar, you and I know that's exactly what they will do. When they do something on a national basis, when they want to dominate a market, they will dominate the market. We need to look beyond wind to what's coming up next."

Within 10 years, Eckerty said, the United States should be installing "nuclear reactors not unlike what you find in a nuclear submarine, where you bring a reactor the size of a standard household deep freezer into a community and secure it underground. It could power half a community the size of Muncie for 100 years."

Despite fears of a nuclear accident and the lack of a permanent storage site anywhere for radioactive waste, Eckerty said he would welcome small nuclear power reactors to Delaware County.

"It doesn't matter what I think," he said. "We will see them."

He's not alone.

President Barack Obama is also pushing forward to revive the nuclear power industry. So is Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who says one of the most promising areas is small modular reactors.

Contact reporter Seth Slabaugh at 213-5834.