DOE Plan Calls for Fusion-Generated Electricity in 35 Years

Meeting in Washington in late November, the Department of Energy’s Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) gave its “unanimous unqualified endorsement” to a preliminary plan that “can lead to the operation of a demonstration fusion power plant in about 35 years and enable the commercialization of fusion power.” The panel noted that significant scientific and technological challenges remain to be overcome and that significant funding increases will be required to realize that goal. Citing environmental and national security concerns, however, the report asserts that “a A commitment now to expend the additional resources to develop fusion energy within 35 years is timely and appropriate.” In a related report, DOE assessed the $5 billion cost estimate developed for the International Thermonuclear Energy Reactor (ITER) program, and concluded that it was “based on sound management and engineering principles, and is credible as a basis for establishing relative contributions by the Parties to the construction of ITER.” All attention turns now to the White House and its FY 2004 budget proposal (due for release in late January) to see if funding is requested to support U.S. participation in the multi-national ITER project.
See FESAC Plan for the Development of Fusion Energy at:
http://fire.pppl.gov/fesac_devpath_prelim_rpt.pdf
See DOE Assessment of the ITER Project Cost Estimate at: http://fire.pppl.gov/doe_ iter_lehman.pdf
In related news, the National Academy of Engineering’s Burning Plasma Assessment Committee released a letter report on Dec. 20 recommending a U.S. return to the ITER program.
See Academy report at: http://books.nap.edu/html/BPAC/letter_report.pdf
From the IEE-USA Eye on Washington, December 24, 2002.