Cumulative fuel commitment for light water reactors: is there a uranium crunch. The fusion-fission fuel factory can help

It can cautiously be stated that there is not an imminent U.S. uranium crunch, because the installed capacity of fission reactors to 1990 is less than was anticipated. We have time for careful judgment and deliberation. We probably have until at least the year 2000 before beginning the phasing-in of a new technology to augment or replace the light water reactor. Consequently the fusion-fission hybrid appears to have strong potential as a fuel factory supplying fuel to the LWR industry. The hybrid relaxes some of the physics and engineering constraints on pure fusion and should be available somewhat sooner. The hybrid also integrates into the energy plan by supporting fission rather than replacing it. The hybrid seems like a good interface between the eventual pure fusion reactor and fission. The easing of the fission fuel demand under that which was anticipated, coupled with the high probability that available uranium resources are proportional to the price paid per pound (within limits) are likely, more than currently stated, serving to fusion's advantage by buying time for development