[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4553 Introduced in House (IH)]
103d CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4553
To authorize the fusion energy research, development, and demonstration
program at the Department of Energy, to direct the participation of the
United States in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 9, 1994
Mr. Brown of California introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the fusion energy research, development, and demonstration
program at the Department of Energy, to direct the participation of the
United States in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Fusion Energy Research Authorization
Act of 1994''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) by the year 2050, the world will need to supply between
2 and 3 times as much energy as is presently produced to meet
minimum requirements for food, shelter, transportation, and
economic security;
(2) meeting the increased energy demands of the year 2050
cannot be achieved without substantial environmental
degradation unless there is a massive shift from dependence on
the fossil fuels which today provide more than three-quarters
of all energy supply;
(3) a wide variety of nonfossil fuel energy technologies
must be developed to meet the expected demand of the year 2050;
(4) the Federal Government has a responsibility to fund
research in energy technologies to help meet future expected
energy demand where the technical or economic risks of
developing such technologies are too high to be borne solely by
the private sector;
(5) despite the urgent need to develop a wide variety of
nonfossil fuel energy technologies, the Federal Government's
investment in all energy supply research and development
(including fossil fuels) has declined in real terms by more
than two-thirds in the last 14 years;
(6) fusion energy is one of the nonfossil fuel technologies
which could potentially provide safe, abundant, environmentally
sound, secure, and affordable energy supplies in the future;
(7) in the last 16 years, fusion energy researchers have
made significant progress toward realizing magnetic fusion as a
viable source of energy, increasing power production from test
reactors more than a million-fold over that time period;
(8) while significant engineering, technical, and
scientific challenges remain to make fusion energy commercially
viable, limited funding remains the primary constraint to more
rapid progress;
(9) the technical risks and the long time scale needed to
demonstrate the commercial viability of fusion energy will
likely require a stable, predictable, and sustained investment
of government funding for decades to come;
(10) while magnetic fusion is the leading fusion
technology, research on alternative fusion concepts should
continue to be supported;
(11) opportunities to participate in international fusion
experiments can dramatically lower the cost to the Federal
Government of fusion energy research;
(12) the United States must demonstrate that it is a
credible partner in international scientific programs by being
able to make and keep long-term commitments to funding and
participation; and
(13) the United States should commit to participating in
the siting, construction, and operation of ITER as soon as
practicable.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are to--
(1) provide direction and authorize appropriations for a
broadly based fusion energy research program at the Department
of Energy which includes development of the magnetic fusion
program and research on alternative fusion concepts;
(2) provide an accelerated commitment to United States
participation in ITER and provide authorization of
appropriations for such activity contingent on meeting program
milestones;
(3) provide for the selection of a host country and
establish a site selection process for ITER; and
(4) provide a stable basis of funding for multi-year fusion
energy research facility construction commitments through the
establishment of a trust fund.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act--
(1) the term ``alternative fusion concepts'' means any
concepts for the production of energy based on the fusing of
atomic nuclei other than toroidal magnetic fusion concepts,
including heavy ion inertial fusion, aneutronic fusion, and
electrostatic fusion;
(2) the term ``Department'' means the Department of Energy;
(3) the term ``Fusion Energy Research Program'' means the
program described in section 5;
(4) the term ``international partners'' means the United
States, the European Atomic Energy Community, Japan, and the
Russian Federation;
(5) the term ``ITER'' means the International Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor;
(6) the term ``magnetic fusion'' means fusion based on
toroidal confinement concepts;
(7) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Energy;
and
(8) the term ``Tokamak Physics Experiment'' means a
facility to replace the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor which is
designed to be capable of conducting experiments on reactions
with a pulse length of at least 15 minutes and demonstrating a
more compact and efficient magnetic fusion reactor design.
SEC. 5. FUSION ENERGY RESEARCH PROGRAM.
(a) Fusion Program.--The Secretary shall carry out in accordance
with the provisions of this Act a Fusion Energy Research Program,
including research, development, and demonstration to demonstrate the
technical and economic feasibility of producing safe, environmentally
sound, and affordable energy from fusion.
(b) Program Goals.--The goal of the Fusion Energy Research Program
is to demonstrate by the year 2010 the practicability of commercial
electric power production and to lead to commercial production of
fusion energy by the year 2040.
(c) Program Elements.--The Fusion Energy Research Program shall
consist of the following elements:
(1) Research, development, and demonstration on magnetic
fusion energy technology, including--
(A) research on plasma physics and control,
confinement, ignition, and burning;
(B) the design, construction, and operation of
experimental fusion reactors, including the Tokamak
Physics Experiment, and the development of special
materials for such reactors, the facilities to develop
such materials, and the development of components which
support the operation of such reactors, such as
diagnostic and remote maintenance equipment; and
(C) participation by the United States industrial
sector in the design and construction of fusion
reactors, and cooperation with utilities.
(2) Research, development, and demonstration of alternative
fusion concepts, to be administered through an Assistant
Director for Alternative Fusion Research, including research
and development needed to build and test an Induction Linac
Systems Experiment for the purpose of developing heavy ion
inertial fusion energy.
(3) Participation in the design, construction, and
operation of ITER with the goal of ITER becoming operational by
the year 2005.
SEC. 6. INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF FUSION TECHNOLOGIES.
Within 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary shall contract with the National Academy of Sciences to
conduct a study which examines the various magnetic fusion technologies
and alternative fusion concepts to assess their current state of
development, evaluates the potential of such technologies and concepts
to become commercially viable sources of energy in the future, and
identifies the research and development goals and priorities, and the
range of probable costs and time scales, needed to achieve commercial
viability.
SEC. 7. ITER SITE SELECTION PROCESS.
(a) ITER Study and Report.--Within 120 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a study
which compares the technical and scientific advantages and
disadvantages and the economic costs and benefits to the United States
of siting ITER in the United States with siting ITER outside of the
United States. Such study shall include the consideration of the impact
on employment of constructing ITER in the United States, the effect of
manufacturing major ITER subsystems (such as superconducting magnets)
in the United States, and the effect of siting ITER in the United
States on United States funding requirements for participation in ITER.
(b) Host-Country Selection.--The Secretary shall seek to reach an
agreement with the international partners which provides for--
(1) the selection of a host country in which to site ITER
by October, 1995;
(2) the equitable distribution of economic and
technological benefits among the international partners,
including the construction of ITER and related facilities and
the manufacture of major ITER subsystems;
(3) substantial United States industry and utility
involvement in the design, construction, and operation of ITER
to ensure United States industry and utility expertise in the
technologies developed; and
(4) a schedule to complete site-specific design activities
by 1998.
(c) United States Site Selection.--The Secretary shall--
(1) immediately initiate a process for identifying
candidate sites within the United States which meet the site
requirements for the construction and operation of ITER; and
(2) propose within 90 days after the date of enactment of
this Act a process for selection of a site within the United
States by June, 1996, if the United States is selected as the
host country for ITER pursuant to the international agreement
described in subsection (b).
(d) Final Cost Estimate.--The Secretary shall provide to Congress
within 90 days following the completion of site-specific design
activities a detailed estimate of the final projected total cost and
cost to the United States of the construction and operation of ITER
based on final site-specific engineering and construction designs.
SEC. 8. REPORTS AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
(a) Contingency Plan.--Within 120 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the
feasibility of conducting a parallel design effort on the Tokamak
Physics Experiment to augment the capabilities of the Tokamak Physics
Experiment in the event that an international agreement cannot be
reached on the site selection or construction of ITER.
(b) Program Report.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, and biennially thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and
submit to the Congress a report on the Fusion Energy Research Program
and the progress it has made in meeting the goals and requirements of
this Act.
(c) Coordination With Defense Fusion Research Programs.--(1) The
Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, coordinate the
research and development activities of the civilian Inertial Fusion
Energy Program and the defense Inertial Confinement Fusion Program to
maximize the benefits to both programs.
(2) Within 120 days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary,
in conjunction with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit a report to
Congress with recommendations for sharing budget and other resources in
order to enhance the civilian energy applications of the defense
Inertial Confinement Fusion Program.
(d) Repeal.--Section 2114 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (Public
Law 102-486) is repealed.
SEC. 9. UNIVERSITY RADIATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.
The Secretary shall combine the Nuclear Engineering Research and
Education Program, the University Research Reactor Program, and the
University Reactor Fuel Assistance Program to form a new University
Radiation Science and Technology Program to be included as a separate
and distinct part of the University and Science Education Program of
the Department.
SEC. 10. FUSION ENERGY FACILITY FUND.
(a) Establishment of Fees.--The Secretary shall establish a fee,
payable by persons who sell electricity for ultimate consumption, at a
rate of 0.1 mills per kilowatt hour.
(b) Collection.--The Secretary shall establish procedures for the
collection of such fees. The Secretary may use the services of any
Federal, State, or local agency or instrumentality to collect such
fees, and may reimburse such agency or instrumentality a reasonable
amount for such services.
(c) Use of Funds.--Funds received under this section shall be
deposited in a separate account in the Treasury, and shall be used, to
the extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, only for the
design, engineering, and construction of ITER, facilities related to
ITER (including a materials testing facility and a blanket testing
facility) and the Tokamak Physics Experiment.
(d) Termination of Fees.--The authority to assess and collect fees
under this section shall expire at the earlier of--
(1) the achievement of a balance in the account established
under subsection (c) sufficient in the judgment of the
Secretary to satisfy the obligations of the United States in
the design, engineering, and construction described in
subsection (c); or
(2) the completion of ITER construction.
SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Fusion Energy Research Program.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out the Fusion Energy
Research Program $380,000,000 for fiscal 1995, $425,000,000 for fiscal
year 1996, $475,000,000 for fiscal year 1997, and such sums as may be
necessary thereafter.
(b) Alternative Fusion Research.--From the sums authorized in
subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary for carrying out the Alternative Fusion Research Program
under section 5(c)(2), $26,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, $31,000,000
for fiscal year 1996, $31,000,000 for fiscal year 1997, and such sums
as may be necessary thereafter.
(c) Tokamak Physics Experiment.--The total amount to be
appropriated for the complete design, development, and construction of
the Tokamak Physics Experiment shall not exceed $700,000,000.
(d) University Radiation Science and Technology Program.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out the
University Radiation Science and Technology Program $25,000,000 for
fiscal year 1995, $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, $25,000,000 for
fiscal year 1997, and such sums as may be necessary thereafter.
(e) Construction of ITER.--No funds are authorized for the
construction of ITER until the Secretary certifies to the Congress that
there is an international agreement that meets the requirements of
section 7(b), and until the report required under section 7(d) is
provided to Congress.
(f) Limitation on Magnetic Fusion Facilities.--No funds are
authorized for the design, engineering, or construction of any magnetic
fusion facility other than ITER, facilities related to ITER (including
a materials testing facility and a blanket testing facility) and the
Tokamak Physics Experiment.
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