U.S. Representative August Pfluger (R) questioned Secretary of Energy Chris Wright during a House Energy Subcommittee hearing on the Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Energy budget, focusing on energy reliability concerns and emerging nuclear innovation in Texas.
During the hearing, Rep. Pfluger warned of growing energy vulnerabilities in coastal states like California and parts of the Northeast, where he argued restrictive policies have reduced in-state production and refining capacity.
"California is going to end up importing from other countries because they won't allow it via pipeline or via the refineries that are actually shutting down," said Rep. Pfluger, pointing to a broader risk of supply instability.
Wright echoed those concerns, emphasizing the national security implications of declining domestic energy production in key regions. He noted that California now imports a majority of its oil.
"Over sixty percent of the oil consumed in California is imported from across the ocean," said Wright.
Pfluger also spotlighted a next-generation nuclear project at Abilene Christian University, developed in partnership with Natura Resources. The molten salt research reactor, he explained, could provide scalable, dispatchable power while also supporting water desalination in drought-prone West Texas.
Wright praised the project as emblematic of broader innovation in the sector.
"That reactor of Abilene Christian is a perfect example of why we are going to have a nuclear renaissance," he said. "I've never been more optimistic about the future of nuclear than I am today."
The exchange also touched on federal regulatory reforms and ongoing efforts to accelerate permitting and fuel development, with both men emphasizing the importance of pairing innovation with a more efficient regulatory environment.
The hearing underscored a sharp contrast between state-level energy strategies, with Pfluger advocating for expanded domestic production and innovation, while warning that policy constraints elsewhere could create long-term, reliability, and national security risks.
