REACTOR TECHNOLOGIES
Energy Department Green Lights Critical Decision 1 for Versatile Test Reactor Project
DOE-NE | 9/23/2020
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it has approved Critical Decision 1 for the Versatile Test Reactor (VTR) project, a one-of-a-kind scientific user facility that would support research and development of innovative nuclear energy and other technologies.
Critical Decision 1, known as “Approve Alternative Selection and Cost Range,” is the second step in the formal process DOE uses to review and manage research infrastructure projects. As part of Critical Decision 1, federal committees reviewed the conceptual design, schedule, and cost range, and analyzed potential alternatives. DOE also issued a Notice of Intent to prepare the Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for VTR, which was published in the Federal Register on August 5, 2019, as part of Critical Decision 1 activities. The VTR project now moves to the engineering design phase as soon as Congress appropriates funding. DOE has requested $295 million for FY 2021 for the project.
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LEGISLATION
New House legislation would create spent nuclear fuel R&D program
Daily Energy Insider | 9/23/2020
As part of the Spent Nuclear Fuel Solutions Research and Development Act (H.R. 8258) introduced to the House by U.S. Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) this week, a new spent nuclear fuel research and development program would be
launched at the Department of Energy.
Starting with a budget of $500 million, spread out over five years, the program would investigate options for dry cask storage, consolidated interim storage, deep geological storage and disposal, and used nuclear fuel transportation.
Read about DOE's High Level Waste Interpretation
Have questions about DOE’s recent high-level waste (HLW) interpretation? Download ECA’s Key Points and FAQs on the issue to better understand what ECA believes are the potential benefits of implementation.
Interested in learning more? Read the ECA report “Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High Level Waste Definition” at www.energyca.org/publications
Stay Current on Activities in the DOE World
Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities, legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org.
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Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles
ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local
governments.
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