GENERATION IV NUCLEAR ENERGY SYSTEMS TEN-YEAR PROGRAM PLAN Fiscal Year 2005 Volume I Released March 2005 Office of Advanced Nuclear Research DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology DISCLAIMER The Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Ten-Year Program Plan describes the updated system and crosscutting program plans that were in force at the start of calendar year 2005. However, the Generation IV research & development (R&D) plans continue to evolve, and this document will be updated annually or as needed. Even as this Program Plan is being released, several system R&D plans are still under development, most in collaboration with international, university, and industry partners. Consequently, the Program Plan should be viewed as a work in progress. For current information regarding this document or the plans described herein, please contact: David W. Ostby, Technical Integrator Generation IV program Idaho National Laboratory P.O. Box 1625 2525 N. Fremont Idaho Falls, ID 83415-3865 USA Tel: (208) 526-1288 FAX: (208) 526-2930 Email:
[email protected] GENERATION IV NUCLEAR ENERGY SYSTEMS TEN-YEAR PROGRAM PLAN Fiscal Year 2005 Volume I March 2005 Idaho National Laboratory Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415 Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy Under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07-05ID14517 i This page intentionally left blank. ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As reflected in the U.S. National Energy Policy [1], nuclear energy has a strong role to play in satisfying our nation's future energy security and environmental quality needs. The desirable environmental, economic, and sustainability attributes of nuclear energy give it a cornerstone position, not only in the U.S.