WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu offered a cautious defense of nuclear power on Tuesday in the face of a potential disaster in Japan and reassured Americans that U.S. domestic power plants were safe.

The Obama administration has maintained its support for expanding U.S. use of nuclear energy despite renewed fears about its safety after an earthquake-crippled nuclear plant in Japan exploded and sent low levels of radiation toward Tokyo.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Energy Secretary Steven Chu offered a cautious defense of nuclear power on Tuesday in the face of a potential disaster in Japan and reassured Americans that domestic power plants were safe.

The Obama administration has maintained its support for expanding use of nuclear energy despite renewed fears about its safety after an earthquake-crippled nuclear plant in Japan exploded and sent low levels of radiation toward Tokyo.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Gasoline containing up to 15 percent ethanol should be available for the coming summer driving season as the government moves to finalize labeling and other issues for the new motor fuel.

The Environmental Protection Agency approved in January raising the amount of ethanol in gasoline to 15 percent for newer cars and trucks from 10 percent, a ruling welcomed by the industry and by farmers who supply the corn to make the fuel.

WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) – U.S. drivers will pay
another 10 cents a gallon for gasoline before the latest jump
in wholesale costs is fully passed on at the pump, and yearly
motor fuel costs will rise 28 percent from last year, the
Energy Department said on Wednesday.

The average U.S. household will spend about $700 more for
gasoline in 2011 than it spent last year, bringing total motor
fuel expenses up 28 percent to $3,235, based on an annual pump
price of $3.61 a gallon, the department’s Energy Information
Administration said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. retail gasoline prices soared another 13.7 cents over the last week to a national average of $3.52 a gallon, rising 33.1 cents during the last two weeks, the Energy Department said on Monday.

It was the second biggest jump in pump prices during a two-week period ever recorded by the government. The record was 45.7 cents for the period ending September 5, 2005, after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. government’s energy forecasting agency is likely to cut its estimate for global oil demand this year because of the spike in oil prices due to unrest in the Middle East.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s outlook to be released on Tuesday is the first of three world oil demand forecasts this month that will factor in the recent rise in crude prices.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Interior Department has canceled leasing offshore tracts in Alaska’s Cook Inlet that was tentatively scheduled for later this year.

So-called lease sale 219 was called off because of lack of sufficient interest by energy companies to search for oil or natural gas in the area, the department said in a notice that will be published in Wednesday’s edition of the Federal Register.

WASHINGTON, March 1 (Reuters) – The U.S. Interior
Department has canceled leasing offshore tracts in Alaska’s
Cook Inlet that was tentatively scheduled for later this year.

So-called lease sale 219 was called off because of lack of
sufficient interest by energy companies to search for oil or
natural gas in the area, the department said in a notice that
will be published in Wednesday’s edition of the Federal
Register.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The average price U.S. drivers paid for gasoline soared 19.4 cents in the latest week to $3.38 a gallon, the biggest jump in pump prices since Hurricane Katrina disrupted petroleum supplies in September 2005, the Energy Department said on Monday.

Gasoline prices rose a record 46 cents during the week Hurricane Katrina devastated offshore drilling platforms and Gulf Coast oil refineries.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Three lawmakers on Thursday urged President Barack Obama to consider tapping America’s emergency oil supply to help lower crude prices that have spiked above $100 a barrel over disruptions in Libya.

The International Energy Agency, which coordinates policy among the world’s consumer nations, has said it would likely let OPEC move first to address any supply shortages. But the call by the Democratic Representatives suggests pressure is starting to build for Obama to get more involved.