ANS sends Secretary Abraham letter supporting FFTF
April 8, 2001
Secretary Spencer Abraham
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 7A-257
Washington DC 20585-0117
Subject: Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF)
Dear Secretary Abraham:
On January 19th, as one of his last official acts before leaving office, Secretary Richardson approved a Department of Energy Record of Decision, based on a recently completed nuclear infrastructure Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. This ROD calls for shut down and deactivation of the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) in Richland Washington. The stated reason for that decision was that the Department had not received sufficient commitments from other Government Agencies, the private sector, or other nations to justify restarting the facility.
In a September 18, 2000 letter to Secretary Richardson, the American Nuclear Society recommended that FFTF be restarted in the nation's interest to meet current and expected future R&D and irradiation service requirements. Since then, and since the January decision, the growing awareness of the nation's current and future electrical energy supply weaknesses add emphasis to the need for next generation nuclear energy. As we move toward future nuclear energy supplies that are sustainable, more economic, and safer, we will require the unique and world class fast neutron test environment available only in the FFTF for development of Generation IV advanced nuclear energy systems. FFTF is the only U.S. research reactor that can provide this unique test environment.
In the brief period since you took office, you undoubtedly have had little or no time to consider in detail the effects of your predecessor's decision to shut down FFTF. For that reason, and considering the Administration's strong emphasis on energy supply, ANS recommends that you consider placing the FFTF shutdown decision in abeyance in order to allow sufficient time for your staff and other national experts to present this case to you in detail for your review. The immediate action we are requesting is to hold the facility in standby status, and not to proceed with any irreversible decommissioning actions. ANS is concerned that the deactivation and eventual decommissioning of FFTF will result in the permanent loss of a unique and world class U.S. R&D capability with a replacement cost of more than $2B. The weakened state of the U.S. nuclear engineering infrastructure that provides support for new technology necessary to maintain U.S. leadership in nuclear energy is an issue deserving of your attention. Your review of the detailed needs and circumstances surrounding the future disposition of the FFTF is a matter of utmost importance.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. If the American Nuclear Society or I can be of any assistance in this matter, please contact me at (208)526-7670 or Mr. Doug Wasitis in our Washington DC office at 202-312-7482.
Very truly yours,
James A. Lake, PhD
President
cc:
William D. Magwood IV
D. Bruce Klos
ANS Board of Directors
