As an established provider of offshore wind turbines, AREVA applauds Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s approval of the United States’ first offshore wind park.

“The Cape Wind offshore wind project is a long-awaited first for this country,” said Anil Srivastava, President of AREVA Renewables, “and we congratulate them and Interior Secretary Salazar for achieving this milestone in establishing a new renewable energy industry.”

AREVA fully supports this important step forward in realizing the Obama administration’s support for tapping a significant, carbon-free energy source. AREVA encourages the administration to further energize the offshore wind industry by streamlining the permitting process and maintaining current investment and production incentives.

“This approval is significant today for many people,” said Jean-Paul Crouzoulon, Vice President of AREVA Renewable Inc. “Offshore wind developers now see a way forward to building this domestic industry. Offshore wind component manufacturers, like AREVA, have more confidence to make the necessary investments to develop domestic supply chain relationships to serve the market.”

“With the federal government’s continued leadership,” added Crouzoulon, “this will happen sooner than later.”

Through its subsidiary company Multibrid, AREVA manufactures the first 5 MW wind turbine specifically designed for withstanding harsh offshore environments.

“For the sake of our economy, our security, and our environment, America must develop decisive policies that will allow us not only to compete in this clean energy race, but to become the leader in providing clean energy technology to the world.”

-Energy Secretary Steven Chu speaking yesterday at the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

For our part, AREVA is already making direct economic investments to build critical clean energy infrastructure in America, including some $250 million in the development of the U.S. EPR™ reactor, AREVA Newport News, Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility, and renewable energy sources like biomass and concentrated solar.

We understand that questions remain about the potential for nuclear energy to provide emissions free energy for America’s future.

The 2010 C-Span Student Video Competition winner, ‘I’ve got the power’ looks at what is going to meet the challenges America’s growing energy demand. The video, produced by Wisconsin middle school students, Madison Richards, Samantha Noll, and Lauren Nixon, explores the potential for nuclear energy to be part of the solution.

We would like to congratulate the students on their efforts to create this thought-provoking video. Well done!