OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY MANAGED BY LOCKHEED MARTIN ENERGY RESEARCH CORPORATION PHONE: (423) 574-5510 FOR THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FAX: (423) 576-6118 INTERNET:
[email protected] POST OFFICE BOX 2008 OAK RIDGE, TN 37831-6248 September 16, 1999 Dr. Martha A. Krebs Director, Office of Science U.S. Department of Energy 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20858 Dear Dr. Krebs: The FESAC is pleased to be able to complete its response to your charge of October 9, 1998, in regard to … “leading a community assessment of the restructured program thus far, including recommendations for further redirection given projected flat budgets for fusion. With this assessment as background, I would like your recommendations as to the proof-of-principle experiments now under review, as well as your recommendations regarding the balance of the program between tokamak and non-tokamak physics, and between magnetic and inertial fusion energy. Working with the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES), please develop goals and metrics to use in making your recommendations. I would also welcome any other recommendations on program content, emphasis, or balance.” In discussion with Dr. N. A. Davies, Director of OFES, it was agreed to frame the sub-charges as: · Recommend a balance between MFE and IFE; · Recommend priorities in the MFE program; · Recommend priorities in the IFE program; and · Recommend a course of action for the three proof-of-principle (POP) proposals. During the past year there has been a considerable amount of activity which helped us reach our conclusions. The FESAC has visited a number of fusion sites and has heard extensive presentations on the program.