Conflicting signals.

Nuclear power must be part of any solution to the global warming problem. A  growing number of those who agree that global warming is a problem - I write with an arctic blast rattling my windows - agree nuclear must be part of the solution.

Certainly Steven Chu, the Secretary of Energy agrees. That is why DOE is now putting up $18.5 billion worth of loan guarantees for new nuclear projects. An unambiguous green light?

Well, maybe amber.

Toward the end of the year the NY Times quoted a GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy official as saying that 18 months ago many insiders thought 20 new greenhouse gas busting nuclear units would be under construction. There are zero, he said.

One expert says that of 28 proposed new reactors now before the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "half have had major delays, large increases in estimated costs or have been canceled," the Times reported.

This is an important development. So, important, in fact, that we have invited NRC chairman Gregory B. Jaczko to provide a NUCLEAR REGULATORY UPDATE at our EnergyBiz Leadership Forum in Washington March 1-2. He has accepted our invitation. Marvin Fertel, nead of the Nuclear Energy Institute and John Gilleland, manager of TerraPower's nuclear program, will also be on hand to take part in a robust discussion on the future of nuclear power in America. We call the conference ENERGY's EMERGING ARCHITECTURE.

Grab a seat.