The Role of Policy in Reviving and Expanding the United States' Global
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THE ROLE OF POLICY IN REVIVING AND EXPANDING THE UNITED STATES’ GLOBAL NUCLEAR LEADERSHIP Timothy A. Frazier MARCH 2017 B | CHAPTER NAME ABOUT THE CENTER ON GLOBAL ENERGY POLICY The Center on Global Energy Policy provides independent, balanced, data-driven analysis to help policymakers navigate the complex world of energy. We approach energy as an economic, security, and environmental concern. And we draw on the resources of a world-class institution, faculty with real-world experience, and a location in the world’s finance and media capital. Visit us at energypolicy.columbia.edu facebook.com/ColumbiaUEnergy twitter.com/ColumbiaUEnergy ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SIPA’s mission is to empower people to serve the global public interest. Our goal is to foster economic growth, sustainable development, social progress, and democratic governance by educating public policy professionals, producing policy-related research, and conveying the results to the world. Based in New York City, with a student body that is 50 percent international and educational partners in cities around the world, SIPA is the most global of public policy schools. For more information, please visit www.sipa.columbia.edu THE ROLE OF POLICY IN REVIVING AND EXPANDING THE UNITED STATES’ GLOBAL NUCLEAR LEADERSHIP Timothy A. Frazier* MARCH 2017 * Timothy A. Frazier is a former Department of Energy career employee with almost twenty-three years of experience working with and managing nuclear programs for the department. He served at senior levels in the department’s Ofce of Nuclear Energy. During the Bush administration, he was a senior technical adviser, and during the Obama administration, he was the designated federal ofcer for the president’s Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future. He is currently a nuclear consultant working with clients on nuclear waste policy, nuclear energy policy, nonproliferation, community involvement and communications, and space nuclear power systems. Columbia University in the City of New York energypolicy.columbia.edu | MARCH 2017 | 1 THE ROLE OF POLICY IN REVIVING AND EXPANDING THE UNITED STATES’ GLOBAL NUCLEAR LEADERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to thank Nicola de Blasio, Jason Bordoff, Richard Nephew, and Matthew Robinson, as well as several expert blind reviewers, for their very helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper. This paper was made possible due, in part, to a grant from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. This policy paper represents the research and views of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of the Center on Global Energy Policy. The paper may be subject to further revision. 2 | CENTER ON GLOBAL ENERGY POLICY | COLUMBIA SIPA THE ROLE OF POLICY IN REVIVING AND EXPANDING THE UNITED STATES’ GLOBAL NUCLEAR LEADERSHIP TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Preface .................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Historical Perspective ........................................................................................................................................................ 8 Atoms for Peace .................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Atomic Energy Commission ............................................................................................................................................ 9 Joint Committee on Atomic Energy ............................................................................................................................ 10 Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 ............................................................................................................................. 11 Changing views on the Fuel Cycle ................................................................................................................................. 11 Reprocessing ................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Enrichment ........................................................................................................................................................................ 12 Nuclear R&D .................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project ........................................................................................................................... 13 Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) ........................................................................................................................................ 14 Experimental Breeder Reactor II ................................................................................................................................... 14 Energy Policy Act of 2005 ............................................................................................................................................ 14 Global Nuclear Energy Partnership ............................................................................................................................ 15 Obama Administration’s Decision to Terminate GNEP ............................................................................................. 17 Yucca Mountain ............................................................................................................................................................... 17 Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future and the Administration’s Response .............................. 19 The MOX Project ........................................................................................................................................................... 22 State of Play for Nuclear Power in the United States ............................................................................................. 24 R & D ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Nuclear Power Reactors ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 Nuclear Fuel Cycle .............................................................................................................................................................. 25 Nonproliferation Policy Decisions Impacting US Leadership Abroad .................................................................. 26 Reprocessing .................................................................................................................................................................. 26 123 Agreements ............................................................................................................................................................... 26 Export Controls .............................................................................................................................................................. 26 Policy Recommendations to Revive and Expand US Global Nuclear Leadership ............................................. 27 Presidential Policy Statement on the United States’ Commitment to Nuclear Leadership ............................... 27 Develop World-Class Nuclear Facilities ....................................................................................................................... 28 Nonproliferation Views .................................................................................................................................................. 28 Yucca Mountain ............................................................................................................................................................... 28 The MOX Project ........................................................................................................................................................... 28 Enrichment Capability .................................................................................................................................................... 28 Maintain Current Nuclear Fleet ................................................................................................................................... 29 Become the World Supplier of Nuclear Technology ................................................................................................. 29 Lead in the Development and Marketing of Advanced Innovative Reactors ..................................................... 30 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................................................