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Illinois lifts moratorium on new large nuclear reactors
New power reactors of any size can be now be sited in the state of Illinois, thanks to legislation signed by Gov. J. B. Pritzker on January 8. The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA)—which Pritzker says is designed to lower energy costs for consumers, drive the development of new energy resources in the state, and strengthen the grid—lifts the moratorium on new, large nuclear reactors that Illinois enacted in the late 1980s.
James A. Blink
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 9 | Number 3 | May 1986 | Pages 381-390
Technical Paper | ICF Chamber Engineering | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24726
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The pulsed, localized fusion source in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) permits scale-down of reactor dimensions and fusion yield in development facilities while still maintaining full-scale reactor surface and volume energy loads. Hence, the power and geometric scale of ICF development facilities can be much smaller than comparable magnetic fusion facilities. The power is reduced by reducing both the pulse rate and the target gain; however, full gain and pulse rate experiments of limited duration will be possible. At least three engineering facilities will be required for the development of heavy-ion beam or short wavelength laser driven fusion power. The design and construction times required for large facilities produce a nominal plan with a demonstration (DEMO) plant operating around the year 2018, and a crash plan with DEMO operation in 2009. Fusion breeder development is expected to follow a similar time line, except that a crash (option-limited) plan could succeed as early as the turn of the century.