Nuclear Facilities in the USA: Status and Outlook

摘要

Nuclear energy research has rebounded in the USA after grinding almost to a halt in 1998. In 10 years the Department of Energy (DOE) civilian nuclear research budget has grown from roughly zero to more than $750 million. Although still a small fraction of the inflation-adjusted budgets of 30 years ago, nuclear energy will require a revitalization of US research and development facility infrastructure in order to support the nuclear renaissance over the next 20 years. This year DOE has focused attention on the infrastructure issue by commissioning two reports. To be published by the Battelle Memorial Institute, the first report identifies the industry-validated research and development requirements for the next 20 years. The second report, produced by Idaho National Laboratory with national input, presents the infrastructure options for conducting the research. The options include new facilities, refurbished existing facilities, and collaborative research with international partners in their facilities. The work that went into these two documents provides considerable insight into future US nuclear research, the facility requirements for carrying out nuclear development, and the status of the US nuclear facilities.