United States panel presentations

The Department of Energy is supporting a number of programs directed at improving nuclear power's ability to compete by the mid 1990s in providing some of what will be urgently needed new baseload capacity, and at meeting both utility requirements and public goals. More specifically, we are co-funding demonstration by 1993 of the process for life extension of current nuclear plants. We are supporting the development of new ALWR designs which rely more on methods such as natural circulation, gravity, reduced power density, or the characteristics of materials, rather than engineered systems to provide safety. These designs will meet the criteria set forth in EPRI's Utility Requirements Documents. We have established a cost-sharing program to demonstrate the success of the nuclear plant standardization and licensing process by obtaining NRC certification by 1992 or 1993 of two evolutionary 1300MWe ALWR designs. We are also cost-sharing a program to certify by 1995 passively safe 600MWe ALWRs employing more natural safety features and modular construction. These programs will involve a rule-making hearing process. We are supporting the development and possible certification early in the next century of modular high temperature gas reactor and advanced liquid metal reactor plant designs. We are planning to demonstrate the early site approval licensing process through a cost-sharing arrangement with the private sector by 1995. In developing the National Energy Strategy, we are examining the issue of a fully satisfactory regulatory process, including the possibility of legislation codifying 10 CFR Part 52, limiting the possible delays associated with a potential second hearing and dealing with emergency planning issues before start of construction. We recently announced a restructured plan to develop a permanent waste repository by 2010. By 1995 we expect to have made significant progress in evaluating the suitability of Yucca Mountain. We expect to have selected a monitored retrievable storage site and submitted a license application to the NRC, pointing toward first operation of an MRS facility in 1998. Also on the waste front, we are beginning to study recycling of actinides in spent nuclear fuel to possibly benefit future long-term nuclear waste management. We will encourage and support an effective dialogue with the public on the benefits and risks of nuclear power relative to other alternatives