I

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4564

To reorient the Department of Energy’s fusion energy research program

toward development of commercially viable fusion power systems, and

for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 10, 1994

Mr. SWETT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee

on Science, Space, and Technology

A BILL

To reorient the Department of Energy’s fusion energy research program toward development of commercially viable fusion power systems, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fusion Energy Re5 search Accountability Act of 1994’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 The Congress finds that—

8 (1) the Federal fusion research program rep9 resents an important national investment;
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1 (2) over the last 40 years, United States tax2 payers have paid almost $10,000,000,000 for re3 search on fusion energy;

4 (3) fusion energy has the potential to be a safe,

5 secure, and affordable source of energy for thou6 sands of years;

7 (4) the Department of Energy’s fusion energy

8 program, which is focused almost exclusively on the

9 deuterium-tritium fuel cycle and the tokamak con10 cept for plasma confinement, has demonstrated the

11 scientific feasibility of fusion;

12 (5) recent studies from Department of Energy

13 laboratories, recent utility panels, and many in the

14 fusion research community have said that the

15 tokamak concept may be too expensive, radioactive,

16 and complex to lead to a commercially viable power

17 reactor;

18 (6) the costs of developing a commercial

19 tokamak fusion reactor are estimated to be

20 $40,000,000,000 by the year 2040;

21 (7) Department of Energy advisory panels have

22 urged the Department to support research in alter23 native fusion concepts to broaden the base from

24 which an eventual fusion power reactor might

25 emerge;
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1 (8) resource constraints, however, have resulted

2 in a severe reduction in research on alternative fu3 sion concepts;

4 (9) construction of large new tokamak devices

5 threatens funding for basic fusion research; and

6 (10) the Department of Energy, therefore,

7 should substantially reorient its magnetic fusion re8 search program by terminating planned construction

9 of new, large tokamak devices, and it should begin

10 a major effort on cleaner, cheaper, alternative con11 cepts that have the potential of becoming commer12 cially viable.

13 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

14 For purposes of this Act—

15 (1) the term ‘‘commercially viable’’ means—

16 (A) able to attract private sector capital;

17 (B) requiring low operation and mainte18 nance costs, including fuel costs;

19 (C) reliable with continuous operational ca20 pability;

21 (D) requiring limited personnel resources;

22 (E) having low plant design complexity;

23 (F) requiring low end-of-life costs;

24 (G) emitting acceptable volumes of waste;
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1 (H) relatively easy to site, including low

2 plant space requirements; and

3 (I) safe;

4 (2) the term ‘‘Department’’ means the Depart5 ment of Energy; and

6 (3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary

7 of Energy.

8 SEC. 4. ADVISORY PANEL.

9 (a) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary shall convene a

10 fusion policy advisory panel consisting of representatives

11 from the electric utilities, environmental and citizen

12 groups, energy policy analysts, advocates of alternative fu13 sion technologies, and others as necessary to ensure a

14 broad representation of interests.

15 (b) PURPOSE.—The panel shall analyze the wisdom

16 of a single, narrow approach to fusion power, and shall

17 develop recommendations for a plan for the future of

18 United States fusion energy research, ensuring that ade19 quate attention is given to alternative fusion concepts.

20 Such recommendations shall be developed in consideration

21 of the findings of this Act with the goal of the development

22 of a commercially viable fusion power system, and shall

23 take into account any international agreements the United

24 States is party to and recommend any appropriate

25 changes thereto.
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1 (c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Within 180 days after

2 the date of enactment of this Act, the panel shall issue

3 a report to the Congress with its recommendations.

4 SEC. 5. UNITED STATES FUSION ENERGY RESEARCH PRO5 GRAM.

6 (a) PROGRAM PLAN.—The Secretary shall develop,

7 and within 270 days after the date of enactment of this

8 Act transmit to the Congress, a comprehensive manage9 ment plan for the United States fusion energy research

10 program which is based on the recommendations of the

11 panel under section 4. The plan shall provide for a fusion

12 research program which is focused on fusion concepts that

13 could lead to the development of a commercially viable fu14 sion power system. The plan shall include specific program

15 objectives, cost estimates, and program management re16 source requirements.

17 (b) INDEPENDENT EVALUATION.—The Secretary

18 shall establish a mechanism for ongoing independent eval19 uation of the United States fusion energy research pro20 gram, in order to ensure that programs not leading to a

21 commercially viable fusion power system are terminated.

22 (c) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Within 2 years after

23 the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years there24 after, the Secretary shall transmit to the Congress a re25 port describing the progress made in meeting the program
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1 objectives and schedules established in the management

2 plan.

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