Magnetic Fusion Energy Question, When will be close to economic feasibility of fusion power? In your view, will we reach this point before 2030? Answer: We think there are three fundamental steps that must be taken before an assessment of fusion's economic feasibility could be made by the private sector. The first step is the achievement of generating as much energy by fusion as it takes to create the fusing plasma. We plan to attempt this achievement in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) which was commissioned at Princeton a year ago. The plan calls for a steady preparation for the actual "energy breakeven experiments" in late 1986. As our confidence has grown that the energy breakeven experiments will be conducted successfully, we have begun technical studies for the succeeding step, that of achieving an ignited and long pulse equilibrium burn in a fusion plasma. This second step would be the last major science step required to prove that operation of the core of a fusion energy system is feasible. At the same time, we would be working to improve the best confinement concepts to ensure that a fusion energy source could be most economically competitive. Following the successful operation of a burning core experiment, there would need to be one further step, that of an engineering test of all the fusion power handling equipment required in a complete energy system. With the successful completion of this engineering test, we believe the private sector would have the technical information base from which to make an assessment underlying the initial decisions about commercialization. At this point, the prospect for economic feasibility will be a determining factor in deciding to build any full scale energy system. An actual determination of fusion's economic feasibility could only come after the private sector had some practical experience with one or two generations of working fusion energy systems. The timing of both the assessment of the future economic prospect and later the market-place determination of economic feasibility of fusion clearly depends upon the number of years required for each step and the interval between decisions. In the DOE's view, if we were able to start toward the second step in the next few years, then by the mid 1990's we would have a strong indication of fusion's likely future. Further, if we could start on the third step in the mid 1990's, then we could provide the technical information for the private sector assessment of the prospect for economic feasibility shortly after the turn of the century. If the private sector's assessment resulted in commercial construction of fusion energy systems:, then fusion's economic application would begin in the period 2020 - 2030, during which time the first commercial plants would be operational. Question: How much has been the total amount spent by the Federal Government on magnetic fusion research? What is the projected level of funding for the next five years? Answer: Over a 33 year period, starting in FY 1951 and going through FY 1984 the Federal Government has spent a total of about $4 billion to support research on magnetic fusion technology. It is anticipated that, for the near term future, fusion will be supported at a level of effort approximately the same as that of FY 1985. Question: What has been done and how much spent to date on the Tokamak Fusion Core Experiment (TFCX)? Answer: Preliminary studies began in FY 1984 to select a machine configuration for TFCX. The technical work of developing technical options, conducting cost sensitivity studies and identifying necessary supporting research and development is being conducted by a national design team with members from fusion laboratories under the direction of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. We expect to select a reference concept this summer for conceptual design studies next year. Expenditures by the design team have been about $1.5 million for direct support of this TFCX concept definition work. Additionally, the Fusion Engineering Design Center and other fusion laboratories are conducting studies that support the TFCX design as part of their ongoing activities. This additional activity has also spent about $1.5 million. Question: What is the anticipated total cost of the TFCX? Answer: The machine configuration for TFCX will be selected late in FY 1984. Conceptual design work in FY 1985 will then provide an estimate of the TFCX cost and schedules that the Department will use to estimate overall project cost. Any request to the Congress for a TFCX project will be based on the results of the FY 1985 conceptual design work. The options for the TFCX configuration that we are examining now have very preliminary cost estimates ranging from $0.5 to $1.0 billion for construction cost. Question: Explain the need for $12.3 million increase in operating expenses. How will this be utilized? Answer: The increase of about 3% for magnetic fusion in the FY 1985 budget is slightly less than cost of living. This will allow the program to maintain a course of steady progress and will protect the investment made by the Government in this program to date. At the requested level physics research on the two most advanced concepts, tokamaks and tandem mirrors, as well as a technology development program to support the base scientific program will continue. In addition, support is provided for developing supporting confinement experiments which contribute to the general base of technical knowledge underlying the main concepts. The proposed program will allow us to address 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. Together the physics and technology research efforts form the essential elements of a base program with the objective of developing a commercially attractive reactor concept. Question: What is the total amount requested for the FMIT project? Why is $3 million needed for construction? What is the status of efforts to provide international cooperation on the project? Answer: The total amount requested for FMIT in fiscal year 1985 is $6.2 million consisting of $3 million for construction and $3.2 million for research and development. The $3 million of construction funds, augmented by about $10 million of international funds are needed in order to continue FMIT construction activities such as procurement of hardware and to start facility construction. Regarding the status of efforts to provide international cooperation, the Department has made a strong effort to begin substantive discussions with Japan and the European Community (EC). On March 1, 1984, representatives of the Department presented a specific proposal on FMIT collaboration to governmental representatives of Japan and the EC. The Japanese are favorably inclined to begin substantive discussions; however, the reaction of the EC has not been as positive. A meeting between the U.S. and EC has been scheduled for April 10 to clarify the EC position. However, if the Department cannot succeed in arranging such international collaboration, we would not proceed with the project. The FY 1985 funds would then be used to terminate construction activities on the project and bring the R&D efforts to a logical conclusion. This plan would be executed in a manner which would protect the Government's significant investment in this project to date and would allow efficient restart of the project at a time when international collaboration is possible. Question: How much is requested for EBT and how will this amount be used in FY 85? Answer: The amount requested by DOE for the EBT program is $8.5 million ($7.6 million operating, $0.9 million capital equipment). ORNL would receive most of the funds with the remainder going to several private industries. ORNL is presently completing an intensive effort to enhance EBT-S performance, increase confidence in the technical data base, and develop advanced configurations which are possible concept improvements. We are conducting an assessment of the results of this effort, and we will also have input later this year from MFAC on management issues and possible high leverage technical opportunities for the entire supporting concepts program, including EBT. At the conclusion of this assessment, a decision will be made on the future direction of the program. However, we anticipate that a major element of the FY 1985 EBT program will be continued development of radiofrequency heating which is also applicable to the mainline research concepts. Biological and Environmental Research Question: Provide a breakdown of all activities within this program and the levels of BA and BO in FY 83, FY 84, and FY 85. Answer: I will be pleased to provide that information for the record. BA BO BA BO 1. Late Effects on Health and Environment BA BO $125,802 $131,936 $124,006 a. Source and Dose Determination..... $139,132 $128,507 $128,507 10,275 11,296 10,161 11,916 10,300 10,300 2,814 3,092 1,280 1,820 1,300 1,300 7,461 8,204 b. Environmental Fate and Behavior. Atmospheric Transport... 8,881 10,096 9,000 9,000 29,498 30,582 28,267 31,958 32,726 32,726 7,740 8,509 7,169 Environmental Mechanisms/Cycling. 8,812 12,220 12,220 21,758 22,073 21,098 c. Health Effects.. 23,146 20,506 20,506 66,028 66,668 62,683 68,719 57,274 57,274 25,110 22,433 25,229 Health Effects/Biological. 25,961 24,620 24,620 40,918 44,235 37,454 42,758 32,654 32,654 20,001 23,390 22,895 26,539 28,207 28,207 15,365 18,294 18,683 21,104 23,628 23,628 4,636 5,096 4,212 5,435 4,579 4,579 1,780 1,966 1,800 1,800 0 0 17,263 17,790 19,700 21,152 20,665 20,665 13,628 13,418 13,418 3,350 2,716 3,600 3,600 3,475 3,475 27,304 30,451 22,344 26,003 23,051 25,796 12,538 12,051 12,051 12,877 12,333 8,300 9,270 8,000 7,300 3,100 5,734 2,400 4,195 Total BER. 3,000 6,445 $184,602 $194,684 $183,950 $205,315 $189,116 $191,861 Question: Briefly outline the benefits derived from the nuclear medicine program. Does your FY 85 request enable the program elements to continue without reduction? Answer: The DOE Nuclear Medicine program has played a major role in developing the special techniques used in over 60 million diagnostic and therapeutic procedures per year. In addition, the program's contractors have designed and built most of the diagnostic instrumentation now used in nuclear medicine, such as the positron emission transaxial tomographic scanner, gamma camera, and the rectilinear scanner. High purity stable isotopes of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen are also produced in large quantities for use in medical, biological, and agricultural research. These stable isotopes help detect diseases and make it possible to follow the behavior of pollutants in man. Since there is no danger from radiation, stable isotopes are particularly useful for diagnostic procedures in infants and pregnant women. Nuclear medicine examinations are increasingly important in the diagnosis, monitoring and therapeutic assessment of structural and functional abnormalities affecting most parts of the human body. They are, for example, the best method for diagnosing pulmonary blood clots so that the appropriate treatment can be selected, for monitoring renal transplant recipients to avoid potential rejection of the donated kidney; and for assessing patients with bone cancer to know whether to use radiation or surgery as a treatment modality. The use of nuclear medicine techniques for cardiological examination is a rapidly growing subspecialty because the function and integrity of heart muscle can be screened more accurately and noninvasively to decide whether to do cardiac surgery. Children with congenital hip disease can be diagnosed earlier before irreversible damage occurs. In general, nuclear techniques have changed the practice of medicine, allowing the doctor to observe the function of specific organ systems in the human body. They have reduced the need for invasive procedures and exploratory surgery, made hospital stays shorter, less painful and dangerous, and have greatly expanded the doctor's arsenal in his fight against disease and human suffering. Within the FY 1985 request, the major priority will be to maintain the current level of effort to develop new medical applications of nuclear technology using radiation, radioisotopes, stable isotopes and ion beams. Clinical studies which have shown a procedure to be feasible will be completed while the development of new organ function and imaging techniques will be slowed somewhat to provide modest flexibility for program development in existing research projects. Question: Explain the proposed increase in FY 85 for university research support? Answer: The major increase in the University Research Support budget for FY 85 is for the University Laboratory Cooperative Program, which is designed to foster cooperative relationships between universities and the national laboratories. This is accomplished through the support of such activities as undergraduate student appointments, summer faculty and sabbatical research appointments, and graduate student thesis research. |