# Presentation: 200121

## The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

**November 15, 2006**

**John F. Gross**
**U.S. Department of Energy**
**Office of Nuclear Energy**

**The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership**

## Topics

**Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP)**
**GNEP – June 2006**
**GNEP – September 2006**
**EOIs/FOAs**
**Budget**
**FY07 Presidential Request**
**Funding Objectives**
**Landscape**

## What is GNEP?

- President George W. Bush
- Radio Address:  February 18, 2006

- “This morning, I want to speak to you about one part of this initiative: our plans to expand the use of safe and clean nuclear power. Nuclear power generates large amounts of low-cost electricity without emitting air pollution or greenhouse gases.”

**GNEP is a Presidential Initiative given to DOE to execute **

## GNEP Has Two Main Goals

-  Spent Fuel is an **asset** to be managed – not a waste.

-  Global Issues require global solutions

- GNEP Principles:

##   Key U.S. Program Elements

- Expand nuclear power 			  (NP2010)
- Manage & minimize spent fuel 		  (Yucca Mountain)
- Advanced Recycle Technology 	      	  (UREX+, Pyro)
- Advanced Burner Reactors                                 (Sodium FSR)
- Establish reliable fuel services 		  (Leasing, Backup)
- Demonstrate small, exportable reactors              (Robust, Secure)
- Enhanced nuclear safeguards technology           (Design Norms)

## Key Non-Proliferation Goal is Fuel Leasing

-  Should make “commercial” sense

-  Consistent with Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

- GNEP Fuel Leasing Principles

-  Encourage expansion of nuclear power

## Global Nuclear Energy Partnership - Today

**The GNEP goals and vision are unchanged**
**Two of the GNEP major system projects have evolved**
- Engineering Scale Demonstration (ESD) has evolved to a larger scale **Consolidated Fuel Treatment Center (CFTC)**
- Advanced Burner Test Reactor (ABTR) size has increased to a commercial scale prototype **Advanced Burner Reactor (ABR)**
**Advanced Fuel Cycle Facility (AFCF)** is unchanged
**Two parallel but highly integrated tracks**
- Industry led track to design/construct the prototype facilities (ABR and CFTC)
- National Lab track to conduct near-term technology development and longer term R&D to regain US technology leadership and global competitiveness

## GNEP Dual Track Strategy – June 2006

**Confirmation that industry may be able to move ahead without demonstration facilities**
- Built on existing proven capabilities of the fuel cycle nations
- Operate advanced spent fuel treatment/recycle technologies in the U.S. as early as possible
- Use industrial partners
- Use international experience
- Use U.S. technology base enhanced by international collaborative applied research and development with National Laboratory focus on group transuranic separation and transmutation fuel
**Technology Development Strategy**
- Commercial-scale Consolidated Fuel Treatment Center (CFTC)
- Commercial-scale Advanced Burner Reactor (ABR)
- Advanced Fuel Cycle Facility (AFCF) --World-class R&D facility
**Request for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from Industry**
**Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for site evaluation studies**

## Expressions of Interest from Industry Informed the Budget Formulation 

**Federal and national laboratory staff reviewed EOIs**** **
**Eight descriptions of CFTC or ABR approaches**
- Industry and international partners supportive of GNEP and anxious to participate
- CFTC technology: solvent extraction, pyroprocessing, aqueous reprocessing
- ABR technology:  sodium-cooled fast reactor
- Generally agreed with 2020 – 2025 timeframe
**CFTC EOIs**
- Support for commercial-scale recycling of SNF (Only two EOIs expressed interest in smaller-scale, 20-40MT short-term demonstration)
- Demonstrated understanding of footprint, support systems, and infrastructure requirements
- Provided insight into cost sharing and business models
**ABR EOIs**
- Endorsed sodium fast reactors as the preferred technology
- Assumed licensing by NRC
- Oxide or metal fuel

## Evolution of GNEP Dual Track Strategy – September 2006

**Expressions of Interest from industry and international partners confirmed viability of Dual Track strategy**
- Potential industrial/international partners and sites identified for further discussion and strategy refinement
**Public and private entities want to host one or both commercial-scale facilities**
**Recognized the importance of longer-term R&D to further develop the fuel cycle and support industry**** **
**FY07 Presidential Budget Request to Congress reallocated**** **
**FY08 OMB budget request revised to reflect assessment of EOIs**

## The Dual-Track Strategy Allows us to Influence International Recycling Facility Technology 

- CFTC

- ABR

- AFCF

- Commercial-scale Consolidated Fuel Treatment Center and Advanced Burner Reactor vs. Engineering-scale Demonstration

- Conceptual Design

- Preliminary and Final Design

- Construction

- Startup

- SNF Separations...

- Concept. Design

- Preliminary and Final Design

- Construction

- Startup

- Concept. Design

- Preliminary and Final Design

- Construction

- Startup

- LTA Development

**CFTC**

**ABR**

**AFCF**

**2006**

**2007**

**2008**

**2009**

**2010**

**2011**

**2012**

**2013**

**2014**

**2015**

**2016**

**2017**

**2018**

**2020**

**2021**

**2019**

**2022**

## GNEP Consolidated Fuel Center Deployment

**Involve U.S. National Laboratories, international research community, and industry in technology development and R&D to resolve key issues and to further develop fuel cycle technologies**

**Enlist industry to build facilities to USG specs with National Laboratory support**
**Process SNF into acceptable disposable waste forms and transuranics/lanthanides**
**Use Transuranics/Lanthanides in fast reactor fuel**

## Funding Opportunity Announcements – Site Studies

**Significant interest in hosting one or both commercial-scale operations**
**14 grant applications received**** **
**9 states involved**** **
**8 proposed DOE sites**** **
**6 proposed non-DOE sites**** **
**Total amount for grants is $20M, to be awarded by ~ November 2006**

## Landscape 

**Industry is able to implement present generation of recycling technology to**
- Move ahead with technology development identified by AFCI to support design and construction as options are explored for business model
- Move as rapidly as practical to construct commercial-scale facilities to close the fuel cycle with recycling and fast reactor transuranic burning
**Need to provide long-term commitment to next generation nuclear fuel cycle technology while moving ahead with present generation technology to**
- Revitalize U.S industry and National Laboratory infrastructure
- Move U.S. toward a stronger international leadership position
- Increase the venue for international collaboration
**Following a balanced Dual Track strategy reduces risk**