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Supercritical-Water-Cooled Reactor (SCWR) was selected as one of the promising candidates in Generation IV reactors for its prominent advantages; those are the high thermal efficiency, the system simplification, the R&D cost minimization and the flexibility for core design. As the demand for advanced nuclear system increases, Japanese R&D project started in 1999 aiming to provide technical information essential to demonstration of SCPR technologies through three sub-themes of 1. Plant conceptual design, 2. Thermal-hydraulics, and 3. Material.

As an element of its plans to return the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) site in eastern Idaho to its historic mission of nuclear technology development, the DOE asked its Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee (NERAC) to establish a Subcommittee on Nuclear Laboratory Requirements. The Subcommittee was charged with identifying the “characteristics, capabilities, and attributes a world-class nuclear laboratory would possess”.

Noting further that representatives of DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy, Science, and Technology and ANRE have identified common interests in innovative light water reactor technologies, including supercritical light water, innovative processing technologies of oxide fuel for light water reactor, and innovative fuel technologies using solvent extraction.

Sharing an interest in fostering advanced nuclear engineering and pursuing scientific research and development in the nuclear field; 

Seeking to promote and maintain nuclear science and engineering infrastructure in the Parties' respective countries to sustain the capabilities necessary for the development and use of nuclear energy; 

Believing that cooperation based on equitable sharing of their respective research and development data, technology and experience in the nuclear energy field would be of mutual benefit.

Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee Meeting

May 18-19, 2004Georgetown University Conference CenterWashington, D.C.

On October 1, 2002 the DOE Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee was asked to provide specific, focused updates to its Nuclear Science and Technology Infrastructure Roadmap and review the specific issues at the DOE key nuclear energy research and development (R&D) laboratories. This activity was assigned to a five-member Infrastructure Task Force (ITF).

The ANTT Subcommittee of NERAC met February 26th and 27th (S. Pillon absent) to begin a review of the potential role of transmutation technologies in increasing the capacity of the geological repository for spent reactor fuel. This work is in support of the recommendation required from the Secretary of Energy later in this decade on the need for a second repository. Since repository issues were under discussion, representatives of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (RW) were in attendance.

The committee met in Washington in Sept 16-17 to review progress in the program with respect to a changed set of mission priorities. Our last meeting took place in Dec 2002 after the reorganization that had place the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) and GEN IV program together in the Advanced Nuclear Reserach Office (AN-20). Since mission priorities have been evolving, the committee felt that it should wait unti they have settled down before we met again.

Implementing Arrangement Between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Natural Resources of Canada and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited For Collaboration in the Area of Nuclear Research

The objective of this technical arrangement is to establish a framework for co-operation between the Parties in the field of nuclear-related technology research and development based upon mutual benefit. The co-operation is intended to occur in specific areas where the programs of the Parties complement one another as well as those in which comparability exists.

The ANTT Subcommittee met in Washington on Dec 4-5, 2002 to review progress in the transmutation program, and to learn about major organizational changes that affect the management of the program. The NE's new Advanced Nuclear Research Office (NE-20) now oversees both the transmutation program (ANTT) and the Generation-IV program (GEN-IV). 

Please include these additional remarks in your transmittal of the subject report to DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology.

The development of advanced nuclear energy systems in the U.S. will depend greatly on the continued success of currently operating light water nuclear power plants and the ordering of new installations in the short term. DOE needs to give those immediate objectives the highest priority and any additional support they require to assure their success.

DOE is pursuing two initiatives to encourage a greater use of nuclear energy systems. The initiatives have been reviewed by NERAC Subcommittee on Generation IV Technology Planning (GRNS) and they are:

NEAC Meeting
Marriott Crystal City Hotel
Arlington, Virginia

April 15-16, 2002
Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee Meeting
Marriott Crystal City Hotel
Arlington, Virginia

Although they are tiny, atoms have a large amount of energy holding their nuclei together. Certain isotopes of some elements can be split and will release part of their energy as heat. This splitting is called fission. The heat released in fission can be used to help generate electricity in powerplants. Uranium-235 (U-235) is one of the isotopes that fissions easily. During fission, U-235 atoms absorb loose neutrons.  This causes U-235 to become unstable and split into two light atoms called fission products. 

NEAC Meeting, DoubleTree Hotel, Arlington, Virginia

The objective of this document is to provide the Department of Energy (DOE) and the nuclear industry with the basis for a plan to ensure the availability of near-term nuclear energy options that can be in operation in the U.S. by 2010. This document identifies the technological, regulatory, and institutional gaps and issues that need to be addressed for new nuclear plants to be deployed in the U.S. in this timeframe. It also identifies specific designs that could be deployed by 2010, along with the actions and resource requirements that are needed to ensure their availability.

The purpose of this Implementing Arrangement is to establish between the Department of Energy of the United States of America and the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique of France, hereinafter referred to as the parties, terms for bilateral collaboration on Research and Development focused on advanced technologies for improving the costs, safety, and proliferation-resistance of nuclear power systems.

NEAC Meeting
Crystal City Marriott
Arlington, Virginia

NEAC Meeting
Crystal City Marriott
Arlington, Virginia

In mid-February, 2001 The University Research Reactor (URR) Task Force (TF), a sub-group of the Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee (NERAC), was asked to:

• Analyze information collected by DOE, the NERAC “Blue Ribbon Panel,” universities, and other sources pertaining to university reactors including their research and training capabilities, costs to operate, and operating data, and

Nuclear energy currently provides approxi- mately 20 percent of the electricity for the U.S. The primary alternative for power generation is fossil fuels. Though still controversial, evidence continues to mount about the negative health and environmental effects of carbon emissions. Nuclear power is the most significant technology available for meeting anticipated energy needs while reducing emissions to the environment.

The Charter of the Generation IV Roadmap Fuel Cycle Crosscut Group (FCCG) is to (1) examine the fuel cycle implications for alternative nuclear power scenarios in terms of Generation IV goals and (2) identify key fuel cycle issues associated with Generation IV goals. This included examination of “fuel resource inputs and waste outputs for the range of potential Generation IV fuel cycles, consistent with projected energy demand scenarios.” This report summarizes the results of the studies.