Nuclear Study To Get $18 Million

The Department of Energy awarded $18.3 million last week to four industry teams to study reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and to develop plans to construct a system of advanced fast neutron reactors. The awards are part of DOE's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, which is an attempt to rejuvenate the nuclear industry by helping to begin reprocessing spent nuclear fuel in the U.S. Another round of GNEP funding is expected later this year, DOE said; last September, the department awarded $16 million to other GNEP corporate contractors. Despite the awards, Congress has been highly critical of GNEP because of costs and reliance on highly complex technology. Consequently, Congress is not funding the program at levels sought by the Administration.