Amidst all the angst over the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico one obvious solution is virtually being ignored. The answer to the energy situation in the US is nuclear power. When I was an electric utility analyst in a past life nuclear power was considered the solution to the production of electricity. It was less expensive than using fossil fuels and was infinitely cleaner than burning coal or oil. Then came Three Mile Island in 1979 and all changed. Although it has never been proven that anyone was injured by the alleged leak at TMI it was a devastating blow to the nuclear industry. At the same time the Jane Fonda inspired movie The China Syndrome hit the screens depicting a "melt down" at a nuke plant- which is in reality impossible. As a result nuclear power plant construction came to a halt and we started to import even more oil from the mid-East. Today France obtains more than 80% of its electricity from nuclear power and Japan is not far behind. It's a national tragedy that nuclear power is not more prevalent in the US.