That is not a bad place to leave the discussion. Mr. Salgado. I would just like to add, in case it hasn't been done, I would ask, since we made numerous references to it, that the ERAB report itself be incorporated into the report as a point of reference. Senator McCLURE. Without objection, it will be done. [The report follows:] ASSESSMENT OF CANDIDATE REACTOR TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE NEW PRODUCTION REACTOR JULY 1988 A REPORT OF THE ENERGY RESEARCH ADVISORY BOARD TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Energy Research Advisory Board to the (202) 586-5444 Jun. 27, 1988 The Honorablo John S. Harrington Dear Mr. Secretary: The Board has focused its attention on the production of nuclear materials, especially tritium, as the primary mission of the NPR, as indicated in your letter. In its assessment, the Board emphasized the primary and equal laportance of producing goal quantities of tritium when needed and doing so in a safe and environmentally sound mannor. The Board reviewed and modified the Department's proposed selection criteria, and reported these results to you in an Interim Report on March 1, 1988. The Interim Report is included as Appendix E of the present report. The modified criteria have been used by the ERAB in the assessment. The report notes that the cost of the NPR program and the national defense need for the tritium product requires strong assurance of tritium production capability. The ERAB evaluation has found that the heavy water reactor has the most mature technology for tritium production at the present time, but that each of the technologies could provide new production capacity with varying degrees of risk as to cost and schedule. The report further states that multiple reactors either of the same type located at one site, or with different technologies and located at different sites • offer tritium production flexibility and increased production assurance. The Board has recognized, however, that deployment of multiple reactors would increase the cost. In any case, the development of new tritium target technologies would provide expanded options for future consideration. The ERAB's position is that the primary justification for using two technologies 18 for increased flexibility and assurance of tritium production. |