[cdn-nucl-l] US action on ITER

["Adam McLean" <adam.mclean@utoronto.ca>]

Posted on the Fusion Power Associates e-mail list on November 27, 2001

Adam

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FPN01-82  Fusion Program Notes - House Leaders Urge US ITER Action Soon 

Stephen O. Dean
Fusion Power Associates
http://fusionpower.org
November 27, 2001

On November 1, House Science Committee chairman Sherwood Boehlert and
ranking minority member Ralph Hall wrote to Energy Secretary Spencer
Abraham "to urge you to begin sending a representative to the international
discussions regarding the International Thermonuclear Energy Reactor
(ITER), which, as you know, is a major fusion research initiative."  The
Congressmen state, "Obviously, time is of the essence with the ITER
initiative, and the U.S. should begin to assess the project's feasibility,
evaluate what role the U.S. might play in it, and participate in
discussions to refine the project and select a site."  They say, "If we do
not begin to examine ITER soon, we may lose the chance to join as a
partner."

The complete text of the letter is reproduced below:


November 1, 2001

The Hon. Spencer Abraham
Secretary
U.S. Department of Energy
James Forrestal Building
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C.  20585

Dear Mr. Secretary:

We are writing to urge you to begin sending a representative to the 
international discussions regarding the International Thermonuclear 
Energy Reactor (ITER), which, as you know, is a major fusion research 
initiative.  The next set of discussions will be held in Toronto on 
November 8 and 9.  While it may be too late to have a U.S. 
representative attend that session, the U.S. should send a 
representative, at least as an observer, to the follow-up meeting, 
now scheduled for Tokyo in December. 

The current ITER proposal merits consideration.  It is a far cry from 
the original ITER program, which collapsed under the weight of its 
projected cost, despite international interest from the European 
Community, Russia, Japan and the United States.  The current ITER 
initiative is based on a design that is half the cost, or less, than 
the original.  The burning plasma experiment that would be conducted 
at ITER is the next logical step toward understanding the physics of 
fusion reactors.

While we are not ready to offer our unqualified support for this 
initiative, we do believe exploring the current ITER option makes 
sense.  In fact, H.R. 4, the "Securing America's Future Energy Act of 
2001," explicitly authorizes you to examine the option of 
participating in an international burning plasma experiment (Title V, 
Section2503). (The bill passed the Committee by voice vote, and 
passed the House by a substantial margin.)

Obviously, time is of the essence with the ITER initiative, and the 
U.S. should begin to assess the project's feasibility, evaluate what 
role the U.S. might play in it, and participate in discussions to 
refine the project and select a site.  We have been approached by 
both the Japanese and Canadian governments about this matter, and 
they are eager to have the U.S. join the discussions.  If we do not 
begin to examine ITER soon, we may lose the chance to join as a 
partner. 

We look forward to hearing from you on this important issue. 

Sincerely,

Sherwood Boehlert
Chairman

Ralph Hall
Ranking Minority Member