The American people should have full confidence that the United States has rigorous safety regulations in place to ensure that our nuclear power is generated safely and responsibly.'

By Laura Conaway

 - 

Tue Mar 15, 2011 10:37 AM EDT

Tony the Misfit/Flickr

The Indian Point nuclear power plant, up the Hudson River from New York City.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu is testifying today before a House Appropriations subcommittee. From his prepared remarks:

The American people should have full confidence that the United States has rigorous safety regulations in place to ensure that our nuclear power is generated safely and responsibly. Information is still coming in about the events unfolding in Japan, but the Administration is committed to learning from Japan's experience as we work to continue to strengthen America's nuclear industry.
Safety remains at the forefront of our effort to responsibly develop America's energy resources, and we will continue to incorporate best practices and lessons learned into that process.
To meet our energy needs, the Administration believes we must rely on a diverse set of energy sources including renewables like wind and solar, natural gas, clean coal and nuclear power. We look forward to a continued dialogue with Congress on moving that agenda forward.
Now, I would like to turn to the budget.

We'll keep an eye on that last part goes. The image above shows the Indian Point nuclear power plant, in the next county up the Hudson River from New York City. Its reactors date to the mid-1970s.