[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 151 (Monday, August 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44673-44676]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12747]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Request for Expressions of Interest in an Advanced 
Burner Reactor To Support the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

AGENCY: Office of Nuclear Energy, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of request for expressions of interest.

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SUMMARY: Based upon feedback since the President of the United States 
announced the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) in February 
2006, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking Expressions of 
Interest (EOI) from domestic and international industry in building an 
Advanced Burner Reactor (ABR). An ABR in the United States would 
establish a fast reactor capability to be used to transmute fuel and 
consume transuranic elements within the fuel, generate electricity, and 
support implementation of GNEP. DOE is also seeking to define the 
interest of industry to build upon their proven capabilities and 
participate in demonstrating spent nuclear fuel (SNF) recycling 
technologies that meet GNEP goals. This EOI will help inform DOE's GNEP 
Program as to those issues that industry and potential host sites 
consider important to the construction of sustainable, commercial-scale 
SNF recycling technologies that meet GNEP objectives. The information 
gained from this EOI will be used to create Requests for Proposals 
(RFP) for the proposed ABR.

DATES: Interested parties wishing to submit an EOI should do so in 
writing by September 8, 2006, to ensure their input is considered. A 
briefing for respondents to learn about DOE's baseline plan and answer 
EOI-related questions will be held on August 14, 2006, 8 am-12 pm, in 
the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The specific meeting location 
will be announced on the GNEP Web site, http://www.gnep.energy.gov. 
Please indicate your interest in attending the briefing by sending an 
e-mail indicating your intent to attend to [email protected]. It is recognized that GNEP is moving forward 
on an aggressive schedule that will task all of the responders' 
abilities to provide quality information in a short period of time. DOE 
believes that GNEP can help to revitalize the U.S. nuclear industry and 
improve its global competitive position. Early participation by 
industry in this effort will greatly maximize GNEP's success.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By postal mail, Mr. John F. Gross, 
Mail

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Stop: NE-2.4/Germantown, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington DC 
20585-0119; by phone on 301-903-3918; by e-mail at [email protected].

ADDRESSES: Please send all hardcopy Expressions of Interest to Mr. John 
F. Gross, Mail Stop: NE-2.4/Germantown, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0119. Electronic 
versions of the Expressions of Interest may be submitted in pdf 
(portable document format) format by e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    As part of President Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative, DOE has 
launched the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). The broad goals 
of GNEP are described in the Report to Congress--Spent Nuclear Fuel 
Recycling Program Plan issued May 2006, http://www.gnep.energy.gov/pdfs/snfRecyclingProgframPanMay2006.pdf.
    A major element of GNEP is the development and deployment of 
advanced nuclear fuel recycling technologies. In general, advanced 
recycling technologies focus on three operations:
    (1) Separate commercial LWR SNF into its usable and waste 
components.
    Spent nuclear fuel contains uranium, transuranics (plutonium and 
other long-lived radioactive elements), and fission products. The 
fission products are waste and make up less than five percent of the 
used fuel. Buildup of fission products within the fuel inhibits nuclear 
fission reactions so the spent fuel must be replaced with fresh fuel 
for continued operation of a nuclear reactor. The transuranics and 
uranium in SNF would be separated from the fission products and then 
fabricated into new fuel for a fast reactor to consume the transuranics 
and uranium while simultaneously recovering their energy content. The 
SNF recycling program would use advanced separation processes (e.g., 
Uranium Extraction Plus or other comparable processes).
    (2) Fabricate and recycle fast reactor fuel containing transuranic 
elements.
    Fabricating, testing, and qualifying fast reactor fuel containing 
transuranic and actinide elements (i.e., transmutation fuel), obtained 
from recycled spent fast reactor fuel, is required to provide fresh 
fuel for the reactor. After the qualification of transmutation fuel, 
the GNEP facilities would demonstrate recycle of fast reactor 
transmutation fuel and eventually could include the construction of a 
separate transmutation fuel separations and fabrication facility.
    (3) Convert transuranics into shorter-lived radioisotopes while 
producing electricity.
    Fast reactors produce high-energy neutrons that can fission long-
lived transuranics, thus converting the transuranics into shorter-lived 
radioisotopes. As the transuranics are consumed, significant energy is 
released that can be used to produce electricity from material that 
would otherwise be considered waste and potentially require disposal in 
a geologic repository.
    The Department initially announced an approach that would 
demonstrate technologies from the laboratory at engineering scale, 
prior to a second phase of commercialization. This approach is 
described in the Report to Congress--Spent Nuclear Fuel Recycling 
Program Plan issued May 2006, http://www.gnep.energy.gov/pdfs/snfRecyclingProgframPanMay2006.pdf. 
    Following the announcement of the GNEP Program by the President, a 
number of foreign governments and private companies expressed interest 
in cooperating in the near-term with the Department in the development 
and deployment of advanced recycling technologies. Some of these 
entities indicated they are pursuing similar technologies and, in some 
cases, these technologies may be ready for deployment prior to those 
currently under development by the Department. In light of this 
information, DOE seeks to determine the feasibility of accelerating the 
development and deployment of advanced recycling technologies that 
would enable commercial scale demonstrations that meet GNEP objectives. 
These demonstrations would utilize industry expertise to build the 
well-understood stages of advanced technology for the separation of LWR 
SNF, and the construction and operation of a fast reactor, while 
designing in the modules for incorporating group separation of 
actinides, transmutation fuel production, burning, and recycling 
operations.
    This approach would involve two simultaneous tracks: (1) Deployment 
of commercial scale facilities for which advanced technologies are 
available now or in the near future and (2) further research and 
development on transmutation fuels technologies. This two-track 
approach could result in two commercial scale facilities, one of which 
is the subject of this EOI. These facilities are:
     Consolidated Fuel Treatment Center (CFTC)--a facility to 
separate the usable uranium and transuranics from spent light-water 
reactor fuel for use in fabricating fast reactor fuel. During the 
second track the CFTC would be augmented or a separate transmutation 
fuel separations and fabrication facility would be constructed to 
separate and fabricate fast reactor transmutation fuel.
     Advanced Burner Reactor (ABR; subject of this EOI)--fast 
reactor to use transmutation fuel and consume transuranic elements 
within the fuel and generate electricity. The ABR is expected to be 
qualified with conventional fast reactor fuel. Subsequently, the ABR 
would be used to demonstrate the feasibility of recycling fast reactor 
transmutation fuel.
    A third facility, the Advanced Fuel Cycle Facility (AFCF), will be 
designed and directed through DOE's national laboratories and will 
support development of the technologies required to separate and 
fabricate fast reactor transmutation fuel. The AFCF is not currently a 
subject of a Request for Expressions of Interest.

ABR Characteristics

    DOE prefers to constrain as little as possible this EOI on the fuel 
cycle pathway to meet GNEP goals. Industry's input is valuable in 
considering the ultimate technical and pragmatic configuration of 
GNEP's closed fuel cycle. Some rough parameters for considering the 
ultimate characteristics of an ABR for the GNEP Technology 
Demonstration Program are set out below. They simply illustrate the 
type of information DOE is requesting in this EOI and respondents 
should not interpret the following information as a final decision from 
DOE on the ABR's characteristics or the overall demonstration program. 
The responses to this EOI may significantly influence subsequent RFPs.

Desired ABR General Characteristics

    The ABR is essential to perform key functions in support of GNEP 
technology development objectives, including:
     Providing a fast neutron reactor necessary to consume the 
transuranic and actinide elements contained in transmutation fuel, 
i.e., fuel that is fabricated from uranium, plutonium, and other 
transuranics found in light water reactor (LWR) spent fuel.
     Generating and providing electricity to a power grid and 
contribute to commercial sustainability. Thus, the ABR would consume 
transuranic elements in fuel made possible by other key elements of the 
technology program: separation of LWR and fast reactor SNF into their 
usable components and the

[[Page 44675]]

fabrication of transmutation fuel from those components.
     Consuming transuranic elements separated from LWR SNF. See 
the Consolidated Fuel Treatment Center (CFTC) EOI for a discussion of 
that element.
     Ensuring that facility designs meet U.S. standards for 
safeguards and security.
    Developing this complete system to support GNEP remains the central 
objective, drawing upon the expertise and capabilities of industry and 
international partners to achieve it. Further,
    The ABR shall safely and reliably perform its power generation and 
transmutation functions. The ABR shall be capable of being licensed by 
the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and operated in accordance 
with NRC regulations. The ABR shall incorporate design features and 
technologies to promote reliable system performance during normal 
operations and in response to postulated accident scenarios.
     The ABR shall be designed such that the future cost of 
electrical power generation using ABRs can be shown to be economical, 
with a goal of being competitive with Advanced Light Water Reactors, 
reasonably accounting for any externalities.
     ABRs shall be capable of generating power through the net 
destruction of transuranic material.
     The strategy for potential development of ABRs shall be 
made to be as affordable as possible without introducing undue risk 
into the development effort so as to place in serious jeopardy the 
potential to successfully achieve the ABR mission.
     To support timely implementation supportive of GNEP goals, 
the ABR system shall be capable of commercial deployment as early as 
possible.

Example Technical Characteristics of the ABR

     Reactor neutron energy spectrum: Fast.
     Reactor technology: Pool-type sodium cooled.
     Power conversion technology: Steam-Rankine or Super-
critical CO2 Brayton Cycle.
     Reactor fuel type: Oxide or metal based.
     Reactor unit thermal power: 500 MWt-2000 MWt.
     Electrical power from reactor unit: 200 MWe-800 MWe, 
generated electricity can be provided to a commercial power grid.
     For modular approach, technology for reactor unit should 
be scalable to higher power levels up to at least 1 GWe.
     The ABR would have the capability of being started on 
conventional fast reactor driver fuel, transitioned to full core 
operation on transmutation fuel, and provide a capability for 
transmuting minor actinide targets prior to this transition.
     Process storage capacity: Sufficient process storage 
capacity should be included to support full-scale plant operations, 
including storage of spent fuel prior to recycling.

Geographic

     The reactor may be collocated with the SNF processing and 
fuel fabrication operations. This is not a requirement but rather a 
possibility.

Regulatory

     Must comply with all environmental protection laws and 
regulations.
     Must be capable of being licensed under NRC regulations 
applicable to demonstration operations on privately owned land 
regardless of where the demonstration is sited.

Content of EOI

    The following items identify the information that DOE is requesting 
in this EOI. All respondents are encouraged to provide information 
beyond that requested if it is believed to be beneficial to their 
responses.

1. Level of Interest and Proposed Scope of Interest

    Please describe how you believe DOE could accelerate successful 
demonstration of SNF integrated recycling technologies to advance the 
goals of GNEP. Describe the approach that you believe should be taken 
to accomplish this goal, including its benefits and risks, and describe 
your level of interest or potential participation. Also, provide a 
description of what you believe your approach does to advance the broad 
goals of GNEP (as described, for example, in the Background section). 
In particular, for the ABR, DOE is interested in:
    a. What reactor unit size (MWt) would be proposed by industry to 
achieve the ABR mission, and what reactor size would be proposed for 
the demonstration program (e.g., sub-scale, full-size module)?
    b. What set of reactor system technologies (e.g., basic type of 
fuel, reactor and power conversion technologies) is proposed to achieve 
the ABR mission?
    c. What would the general fuel qualification approach and schedule 
be for initial driver fuel and transmutation fuel? Identify the basic 
in-reactor tests and facilities that would be used to support fuel 
qualification.
    d. In addition to advanced reactor systems, what research and 
development (R&D) on near-term water-cooled reactor approaches could be 
pursued to support transmutation of transuranics consistent with the 
goals of GNEP?

2. Proposed Roles of Parties Involved

    Please identify who you believe the parties to such a venture 
should include and the role of each party. Parties could include U.S. 
Government and foreign government agencies, state and local government 
agencies, nongovernmental organizations, domestic and foreign 
commercial firms (e.g., Architect & Engineering (A&E) firms, component 
manufacturers, electric utility companies, etc.) or any other entity 
you may identify that fits into your proposed solution. Your statement 
should clearly identify the role each party would play in ensuring the 
success of your proposition, whether direct or indirect. Examples of 
roles include, but are not limited to, providing financing, 
guaranteeing financing, A&E services, construction, facility 
operations, program or project management, regulatory compliance 
support, and hardware vendor. Provide an assessment of the benefit to 
the U.S. Government and GNEP of your proposed parties and their roles. 
Also, provide a description of the benefits that would accrue to each 
of the parties in this venture. Benefits could include, but are not 
limited to, financial gain, intellectual property, market position, 
facilities, education, and advancing policy goals.

3. Resources

    For each entity you have identified in Item 2 above, provide 
specifics describing the resources each party could provide to ensure 
the program's success. These resources may include, but are not limited 
to, financial, existing or new facilities, personnel (include a 
description of the type of personnel, e.g., technical, management, 
regulatory, financial, etc.), intellectual property, and leased 
equipment.

4. Proposed Contractual Vehicle

    Please provide a description of the contractual vehicle(s) you feel 
should be employed in furtherance of your approach. Examples may 
include, but are not limited to, contracts, financial assistance, 
Cooperative Research and

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Development Agreements, loan guarantees, other transactional 
arrangements. Please limit your suggestions to those contractual 
authorities already granted to DOE or other government agencies you 
identify.

5. Areas of Technology Development Required for Potential 
Commercialization

    Please identify what technical areas associated with your approach 
would benefit from additional research, development or demonstration 
(RD&D) activities, how and to what extent this RD&D would mitigate 
technical or technology risk, estimated timeframes to accomplish this 
RD&D, parties performing the activities, and other technical issues 
that need to be addressed.

6. Government Furnished Data/Technology/Equipment

    Describe what, if any, government furnished data, technology, or 
equipment you would require to accomplish your defined approach. State 
whether you have any existing rights or license for the use of the data 
or technology, and if not, how you would pursue acquiring such rights.

Confidentiality

    Confidential or business sensitive information contained in the 
submission must be identified and marked accordingly. DOE will protect 
this information from public disclosure to the extent permitted by law.
    This EOI is not a formal solicitation requesting proposals and does 
not represent a commitment by the Government to award a contract. The 
Government does not intend to formally respond to information submitted 
in response to this EOI. The Government is not responsible for costs 
incurred to submit a response to this EOI, conducting other activities 
associated with pre-solicitation planning, or submitting a proposal in 
response to a solicitation, if issued.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 31, 2006.
Dennis R. Spurgeon,
Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy.
 [FR Doc. E6-12747 Filed 8-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P