At current funding levels, the program will continue physics research aimed at developing the two most advanced concepts, tokamaks and tandem mirrors, as well as a technology development program to support the base scientific program. In addition, support is provided for developing alternate concepts which contribute to the general base of technical knowledge underlying the main concepts. The requested level of funding will allow us to address the key physics issues related to heating, confining, and controlling a plasma as well as the reactor technology and design issues associated with a long pulse ignited tokamak. The

technology issues include plasma production, reactor components, and system designs. Existing facilities will be used to pursue key technical issues of confinement physics and engineering

development. Together, these physics and technology research efforts will provide a base program moving toward the objective of developing a commercially attractive reactor concept.

The Magnetic Fusion Energy budget is organized into five interrelated functional areas that form the basis of a unified and balanced effort to conduct the research and development necessary to define a practical fusion product. The Confinement Systems and the Applied Plasma Physics subprograms, working in conjunction, provide the physics base for the MFE program. In the near term, the primary driving force of that program flows from the experiments conducted in the Confinement Systems subprogram, with its dual focus on toroidal confinement systems and mirror confinement systems. The Applied Plasma Physics (APP) subprogram analyzes these results, develops plasma physics theories and models to explain the experimental results and suggests directions for additional investigations. Based on this information, the APP subprogram also initiates experimental and theoretical

investigations of basic physics problems related to alternate

confinement concepts and develops diagnostic instruments for use by the Confinement Systems subprogram.

Using information developed by the above subprograms, the

Development and Technology subprogram develops components and systems for use in near- and mid-term fusion experiments as well as long-term generic materials development. This subprogram also performs conceptual design studies for fusion power reactor concepts. These design studies serve to identify component and system development needs that must be undertaken to prepare for the eventual commercialization of fusion.

In carrying out the assignments of the physics and technology tasks, needs for major new facilities are identified from time to time. The Planning and Projects subprogram provides for construction of major new facilities and fabrication of auxiliary components for these facilities. Finally, the Program Direction

subprogram includes the funding to cover salaries, benefits, travel, and associated expenses of the Headquarters Office of Fusion Energy. The proposed budget levels for these areas are

indicated in Table 11.

In Confinement Systems, Operating Expenses funds of $154.1 million are provided to support toroidal systems and $42.1 million to support mirror systems. A major portion of the toroidal systems budget provides for the cost of conducting experimental operations on existing devices including: Alcator C at MIT, the Princeton Large Torus/Princeton Bean Experiment (formerly the Poloidal Divertor Experiment) at Princeton, and Doublet III at GA Technologies. In addition, funds will be used to prepare the TFTR for the world's first demonstration of magnetic fusion scientific feasibility by achieving energy breakeven in 1986. Fabrication of the Advanced Toroidal Facility at ORNL and modification of the Doublet III facility in cooperation with the Japanese to enhance the capability of this machine will continue in FY 1985.

In mirror confinement systems, the funds will be used to support the operation of the Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade at LLNL, the first full year of operation on TARA at MIT and several other smaller devices to extend the technical data base of tandem mirrors. Preparation for the operation of MFTF-B will also be initiated in FY 1985. Mirror confinement systems also includes support for the Elmo Bumpy Torus (EBT) concept which involves toroidally linked mirrors. Work on EBT will be directed toward continued studies of fundamental issues of physics (e.g., electron cyclotron heating and confinement) in support of the tokamak and tandem mirror programs.

The Operating Expenses budget request for the Applied Plasma Physics subprogram is $84.5 million. This includes support for fusion theory, experimental research on smaller scale tokamaks and mirrors, development of new diagnostic techniques required to understand experimental behavior, development of supporting concepts with potentially superior reactor prospects and operation of the Magnetic Fusion Energy Computer Network which provides all

the large scale computing capability used by the fusion program for data analysis, theoretical modeling and design.

The Development and Technology subprogram will be supported in FY 1985 at a level of $79.6 million in Operating Expenses. This will include work on necessary plasma and reactor technologies as well as design of reactor systems. A conceptual design for a long pulse ignited tokamak will be carried out by redirecting efforts from within the program. Specific technology development issues include plasma heating; plasma fueling; impurity and exhaust control; first wall, structure and heat flux materials; blanket and shield systems; superconducting magnets; and remote maintenance.

The

major facilities for technology development which will be funded in FY 1985 include the Large Coil Test Facility and Rotating Target Neutron Source II Facility at ORNL and the Tritium Systems Test Assembly at LANL.

The Planning and Projects subprogram Operating Expenses request is $52.8 million. This includes completion of work on the Tokamak Flexibility Modification project for TFTR to ensure achievement of the basic TFTR objectives. An increase is provided for development support and fabrication of auxiliary components on MFTF-B which will allow for experimental startup in the third quarter FY 1987. Funding is also requested to provide the necessary development support on the Fusion Materials Irradiation Test Facility (FMIT).

The FY 1985 level for Magnetic Fusion Energy Program Direction is $4.1 million. These funds are required to provide for the salaries, benefits, travel, and other expenses associated with 66 full-time equivalents.

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT

The request for capital equipment is $33.4 million. This represents a decrease of $4.4 million in funding support and provides a level commensurate with the operating program described above. These funds are used to support the execution of the research program. Most of these funds will be used to procure

hardware to enhance the effective and efficient utilization of the fusion experimental devices. The remainder of the funds are used to maintain existing equipment or upgrade and replace obsolete

equipment.

CONSTRUCTION

The Construction budget provides $3.0 million for FMIT, $20.1 million for the MFTF-B, and $9.4 million for General Plant Projects (GPP) (Table 12). FMIT will provide the capability to determine the effects of the fusion reactor neutron environment on candidate materials for future fusion reactors. The FMIT funding provides for the restart of construction activities and is predicated on international funding being available. MFTF-B is a thermal barrier tandem mirror device which will be the largest experimental facility in the world capable of investigating the mirror fusion concept. The requested funding for MFTF-B is based upon completion of facility construction in the fourth quarter of FY 1986. The increase in GPP funding of $2.9 million reflects the institutional requirement to reduce the overall backlog of general plant projects at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Let me turn now to the Biological and Environmental Research program.

BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH

The Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program represents the Nation's only long-term research effort specifically focused on energy-related health and environmental issues. There are two major goals of this research program. The first is to provide, through basic and applied research, sound, scientific data required to reduce the health and environmental uncertainties associated with the development of energy technologies and weapons systems required to meet the Nation's future energy and national security needs. The second goal is to develop new applications of nuclear science and technology for use in the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.