QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY SENATOR MCCLURE Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Question: Have you any preliminary information on the substance of the NCI report? When is this report expected? Answer: No Sir, we have not been provided any preliminary information from NCI. However, the NCI report is expected to be completed in April and should be available to Congress in May. Research Reactors Question: The Office of Energy Research operates a number of reactors at various national laboratories. Doesn't operation of these reactors create a conflict of interest with the research and development program you conduct? For aren't you the user and the provider of services? Answer: Energy Research is indeed both a user and provider of reactor services. We do not provide support for a reactor unless we have needs for the services of that reactor. Rarely, however, are we the sole user or sole reactor operations funding source. During periods of fiscal stringency, there is strong competition between research and facility operations for available funds and when needs or research output no longer justify the operating expense, the facility is shut down. Examples of the latter happening are: the Oak Ridge Research Reactor which was shut down last year, the Argonne CP-5 reactor shut down in 1979 and the Ames Laboratory Research Reactor shut down in 1977. With regard to the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge and the High Flux Beam Reactor at Brookhaven, we make time available to other qualified users from industry and universities without charge if we have an interest in the proposed research. Thereby we acquire added return for our operation's investment research we would otherwise not be able to afford. Question: Please provide for the record each facility's budget, compared with those budgets requested by the national laboratories where the reactors are operated. Answer: The comparison of the laboratory request versus the amount included in the FY 1989 President's budget is as follows: The amount shown in the laboratory request column for the High Flux Isotope Reactor was prepared prior to the completion of the assessment of improvements needed for restart of the reactor. This request was later modified by the laboratory and was changed to the same amount as is now requested by the Department for FY 1989. Question: Please provide percentage of funds the Office of Energy Research spends on safety improvements for these reactors compared to similar funding by commercial power plants? Answer: We do not have information on the average expenditures for safety improvements at commercial power plants. We understand that they vary substantially each year at each plant. Money is spent on demand for new heat exchangers, pumps, valves, replacement piping, etc. Similarly at the ER reactors, funds are budgeted for specific upgrades. For example, the beryllium reflector in the HFIR is replaced every seven years. The heat exchangers have been replaced at HFIR in the past five years. At the present time, about 50% of the funds provided for that reactor are used for safety assurances and upgrades. This is an unusual situation, the average for safety and maintenance is more nearly 30% but the swing is substantial. Question: Please provide the number of professional staff in the Office of Energy Research specifically assigned to assure the safe operation of these reactors. Answer: For FY 1987 the Office of Energy Research has dedicated the equivalent of some two man years to assuring the safe operation of its reactors. It should be noted, however, that consistent with the Department's policy of line responsibility for safety, these two man years represent part time inputs of a number of ER management and staff having programmatic responsibility for the reactors. In addition, ER used technical consultants to provide technical support and assistance in dealing with matters of reactor safety. As an example we asked Dr. Joseph Hendrie, past chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to establish and chair an independent committee to evaluate for ER the technical work on the embrittled high flux isotope reactor to determine operational readiness of the reactor. QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY SENATOR INOUYE Biofuels Question: Over the past few years Hawaii has become a national leader for the conversion of biomass into methanol. What role can Hawaii play in assisting your program develop renewable alternatives to our looming transportation fuel problem? Answer: Since Hawaii's initial involvement in the Biofuel's R&D program, the Department has worked closely with Hawaii researchers in coordinating R&D activities relevant to methanol production as well as other aspects of the Biofuels program. Hawaii's semi-tropical climate and long growing season are well suited to the rapid growth of biomass for energy purposes. In addition there are significant land resources and agricultural management capability available in the islands. The introduction of biomass-derived transportation fuels could benefit from the isolation provided by the individual islands that make up Hawaii. Such isolation results in limited travel distances and movement of automobiles among the islands. This can be advantageous in the acceptance of alternative transportation fuels due to reduced infrastructure requirements. Hydrogen Question: The national aerospace plane project of the Department of Defense and NASA appears to be progressing well. As you know, this next generation aircraft will be powered by hydrogen. It is my understanding that one of DOD's long term concerns is the availability of indigenously produced hydrogen when the plane becomes operational. What is the Department of Energy doing to work with DOD/NASA in providing for hydrogen fuel? In this regard, I do note that the USDOE is providing funds to the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute on this subject. As this program must by its nature be continuous and extend over time, what steps are you taking to insure for continuity? Answer: The Department is aware of the DOD/NASA efforts to develop the national aerospace planes. The Department's Hydrogen Energy Coordinating Committee has had presentations from NASA and DOE researchers as one means of staying abreast of developments. The development of technology bases for the production of hydrogen as well as for the national aerospace plane are long term efforts. The Department's hydrogen research program is focussed on the production of cost competitive hydrogen from low-cost materials such as water or biomass. Research in promising technologies for the production of hydrogen includes photochemical, biophotolytic, and advanced electrolysis technologies. As with any research undertaking of this nature, the Department continuously monitors and evaluates research efforts to ensure appropriate priorities are maintained and that research activities reflect National energy and other agency goals and are consistent with the need to control the Budget deficit. Multi-Product OTEC Question: The Seacoast Test Facility, located at Keahole Point on the Big Island of Hawaii has become the international test center for ocean resource technology. Your OTEC project with the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research (PICHTR) at this facility has shown tremendous progress over the past year. Can you please consider how this site can be made a national laboratory to coordinate ocean resource applications, particularly since the Exclusive Economic Zone declared by President Reagan in 1983 opens up the potential for seabed mineral R&D to also occur at this location. In addition, can you also provide details on how the partnership among the Solar Energy Research Institute, Argonne National Laboratory and PITCHTR is working out on OTEC research? Answer: It is probable that PICHTR will gain increased national recognition after it has gone through a period of growth, maturation, and expansion of its expertise into additional areas of interest to the Pacific Basin countries. The increased seabed that is now within the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone will provide opportunities for PICHTR to work with private sector organizations interested in exploiting such resources. The cooperative arrangement existing between the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), and PICHTR in OTEC research and development takes advantage of PICHTR's proximity to the ocean and the thermal resources required for exploitation of the OTEC concept. SERI and ANL provide the theoretical foundations for system design and fabrication of test fixtures. PICHTR now has the assignment for experimental verification and testing with seawater in several developmental areas. These areas of responsibility will increase in scope as the DOE OTEC effort utilizing the services of the three participants comes closer to operation of the 165 kWe (gross) experiment at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii. Hawaii Deep Water Cable Question: I understand laboratory testing of the Hawaii Deep water Cable is proceeding on schedule and within budget; can you describe the current technical status of that laboratory program? Answer: The laboratory test program of the Hawaii Deep Water Cable began in December 1987. The program's extensive set of electrical and mechanical tests is demonstrating that the cable is capable of withstanding the expected rechanical stresses and environmental conditions to be encountered during deployment, retrieval, and operation while retaining the electrical characteristics necessary for a service life of 30 years. The testing process establishes baseline electrical characteristics prior to the imposition of mechanical stresses. Subsequent individual and sequential tests simulate all mechanical stresses expected to be encountered during the cable's life. Final electrical testing will determine the effects of mechanical stresses upon the cable's electrical characteristics. To date, baseline electrical tests have been successfully completed. Equipment is being set up to conduct mechanical tests. Question: The procurement of a vessel and equipment for at-sea testing remains one of the larger cost components of work still to be done under the Hawaii Deep Water Cable program; has the program made any effort to reduce the uncertainty of costs related to that procurement? Answer: The prime contractor, Hawaiian Electric Company, is planning to lease a vessel and outfit it to include the highly specialized cable laying equipment required for the at-sea test. Leasing and modification of the vessel were estimated to be approximately 50-60% of the at-sea test costs. In order to reduce uncertainty in costs, bids were sought in November 1987. Negotiations are underway with the apparent low bidder to secure the attractive bid ($3.4 million), which is nearly the same as the estimated costs. Question: I am aware of several projects involving submarine cable transmission that are in the planning or design stages; these include Nova Scotia Power Company's connection to Boston Edison, Middle South Utilities' link to Florida Power & Light, and the proposed 600 mile system tying Iceland's hydropower resources into the United Kingdom grid. Have there been contacts between the Hawaii Deep Water Cable program and each of these projects and how might the research in Hawaii be of benefit? Answer: Representatives from each of the projects have met with Hawaii Deep Water Cable researchers to discuss significant problems associated with their projects. The three cable projects mentioned above involve difficult conditions, such as extreme depths, long distance transmission, and high currents, for installing and maintaining underwater transmission systems. They have been encouraged by the successful Hawaii Deep Water Cable (HDWC) research providing solutions for installing and maintaining underwater power cables in the unprecedented conditions encountered in crossing the Alenuihaha Channel. These meetings have resulted in significant technology transfer. For example, consultants for the Nova Scotia Power Company have met with researchers on the HDWC and are using information received to assist in planning the project. Consultants for the Florida Power and Light Company are interested in using the HDWC three dimensional cable installation model; they expect to encounter high currents in the crossing from the Grand Bahamas to Florida. A detailed study (February 1988) issued by |