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, 1 :::*, 7 m % %74m U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES C0CKETED '",~1.TO ' "* *::|,";".".T. "'~,'. , * 0.,***.:" ". ".C ants au m yeu m m u u o m ersua.ouis . U W C "*"""'_ ' .. ,_ ~ ~ ~ ~' I* " *** ***'" " - = WASHINGTON. D.C. 28515 " * " ' ' . " * " ' " " " '*i.. ~~.= . = , m ar. .. e. , ,' , ::::,- .::::: = ' . " . ' * * ' 880 n5 * - ' " ' ' ' " ^ '82. J129 "M'i'J" YO.'|::. May 27,1981 mck | | ; .L'.t ".J. "*.";.'.". .u 0FFICE OF SE(,RtIAi<,,.. ' q DOCr'.ETING & SERVICE 7 l BRANCH Frederick Seitz, Chairman Scientists and Engineers for (J C '() ' i Secure Energy, Inc. .. 1225 Nineteenth St., N.V. , Suite 415 ' Washington, D.C. 20036 ' ' ' ' ' ~. -| .

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Dear Dr. Seitz: .

As Chairman of a national non profit association of eminent scientists and . | engineers dedicated to the security of America's energy sources, you are in a '

|' unique position to aid the Congress as it considers an important energy tech- nology issue which could af fect all Americans. As I am sure you are aware, the House Conunittee on Science and Technology has voted to deauthorize the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP) Froject beginning in Fiscal Year 1982. The ; merits of this action will be further debated during cc.nsideratlon of the matter by the full House of Representatives. Carefully reasoned scientific input to- the t.eadership and Members of the House from those with no ves.;ed interest in ' the program would be extremely useful in this debate. -

_ _ _ _ , _ . _ y Supporters of the project believe we need CRBR because it is the best plant to : overcome the technical, institutional, and political obstacles to the timely I development of breeder technology and the use of nuclear power as a viable - ! energy source. 1 Many criticisms of the project appear to ignore the realities of fully develop- Ing a highly sophisticated technology and focus on specific but Isolated argu- ments against the project. , As a result, we are in danger of closing the door to s the nearly unlimited energy potential of breeder reactors. The Congress would greatly benefit from the views of your members on this important topic and i " urge you to make your views known.

. Sincerely, 0^5

| MARILYN L. S0'UQUARD | i Chairman, Subconunittee on Energy Research and Production

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._ , . ------p - - - - 00 SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS FOR SECllRE ENERGY, INC. . ]3 j ' C A. L $' 57o Seventh Avenue - Sutes sooy - ~ New York, New Yot-k soot 5 '' ~ -

, (7s2) 84o-6395 ' Frederick Seitz, Rockefeller 11, Chairmcm. < Erich Isaac, CuNY-CCNYe Vice-Chair -

RobsrC K. Adair, Yale, Vice-Chair . Miro AL.Todorovich, CLINY-BCC, Exec Dir . June 2, 1981 .

The Honorable Marilyn L. Bouguard, Chairwvman . House Subcommittee on Energy Research and Production Rayburn House Office Building, Room B-374 Washington, DC 20515 - Dear Congresswoman Bouquard,

- Scientists and Engineers for Secure Energy (SE2) feel greatly honored by your request to acquaint the Subcommittee which you chair and other m-mbers of Congress with SE2's views concerning the future of the Breeder Reactor Plant at-Clinch River. * , Today, a substantial majority of SE2's membership is strongly in favor of continuous funding for this most importa.nt project. Rather than to repeat the detailed analysis which led us to

. support the ongoing development of the Liquid Metal Tast Breeder , _,,_ ,_. Reactor (LMFBR) technology in the United States - an analysis s which by now must be quite well known to a11 interested parties -- let us here summarize the main reasons which compel most members

. of the SE2 Steering Committee, and many other experts within our ; organization, to come out on the side of the Clinch River Breeder ' Reactor Project (CRBRP). . ,

(1) LMFBR is the only, already proven technology s which can serve as quaranteed insurance against - - possible, future energy crises.

(2)- At the time of possible, future deploynent, LMFBR's will be a secure, and most probably economical way by which to convert nuclear power technology into a truly renewable energy resource ' of. unlimited potential. -

.~ (3) In many respects, the CRBRP is the most advanced development project of its kind. If promptly pursued and properly followed up, it may

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eMfA&CAS (partial listing): menry E. &arschall, U er Wisconsin; *Eaas A. Sethe, Cornell; Felim Elech, Stasford; David todansky, y W Cf %:14bingten3 Dorrie E. Bradbury, Los Alamong D. Allan tromley, Yates 'E. Creightaa suck, E of Wiscortsta; Dermard L. Cohen, W Ef Pittsburgh; * Earl Cohen, Stanford; Thomas J. Cammolly, Stanford; Jeba S. Coertesy, lauleimma State 5; Dwight E. Ehemes, D Canne Eterreg R. 3. Dicke, Princeseng *&lbert Gold, NT Polytechnie; *nobert masser, 5 of Misusesetas tehest totetedtar, Stanfard Behram Earsumegla,5 of Miamig Bobert tee, Eartford; 1eena Libby, SCL&; *Jeha mustarthy, Staatec43 Jehe F. Radiaca, argonne; Bobert 3. shellikaa. O of Chicago; ' Thomas Figford, W Cal, Berkeley; Ermeet C. Pall.azd, Pennsylveala State V; * James Raimwater, C:1umbia U1 morman C. **==meen, RIT; Clem seabort, O Cal, Berkeleyg stalcolm J. sheroam. 3TJWT, Albany 3 *seward tellar. Live rnero s James A. van Allen, U of Iowag 'Aleaander vem Creewomits E of Zarrick; Alvia es. Weinberg, ORAO; *Engene P. wigner, Primeetens miehard wilaan, Karvard; wormer Wolf, Yale. e Aft 111stien for lametitseatten eely. h e. STEERIDG CoretITTEE.

- - - = = - - _w . ._ _ _' _O ' ' - c * . .jTho Hon rablo Marilyn L. Bouquard , - ' Juno 2,1981 - _ , , ''Pago 2 ' . .f , .;*.,-

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. open the way for the United States and the' 7

, world to acquire, by the turn of the century, a fully commercially applicable, advanced breeder technology at precisely the time when * ,

, a massive introduction of such a resource may ' become necessary.

, (4) In view of recent political developments in certain Western countries, particularly ' France, the Clinch River Breeder Project may, become the only reliable technological - undertaking of its kind,in the Free World. , . Together, the four above points constitute a powerful case for the continuation of CRBRP. . Incidentally, our support for the steady development of the LMFBR technology in this country does not in any way reduce our enthusiasm for the seach for, and . developcent of, alternative avenues for the secure generation of nuclear power. In particular, we fully endorse the call by

Edward Teller for an ongoing assessment by a national body of 3 technological experts of various known and promising technical | options. Such work should yield practical proposals which could serve as useful guides for future Congressional and Administrative action. Nevertheless, we strongly believe that such an assessment _,,,._,_ ; of additional alternatives should proceed concurrently with the vigorous, and rapid, development of the Clinch River Plant.

- The United States urgently needs the working experience and trained personnel which only an ongoing CRBRP can provide. We trust that the Congress will, in the best national interest, , provide the required funds.

For the Scientists and , Engineers for Secure Energy: \

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Robert K.. Adair Yale University

* y! s .b Manson Benedict R. Creighton Buck Massachusetts Inst. of Technology University of Wisconsin ,

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Hans A. Bethe . Albert Gold - * Cornell University New-York Polytechnic Institute ,

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. f)(Y |' ' 6' ' Robert Hexter Dixy Lee Ray University of !!innesota

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"$ rich'fs'aac Frederick Seitz . i City University.of N.Y. Rockefeller Univerr.ity , , [

J O M+ | . _ ' itobert S. Mulliken Miro H. Todorovich - i Un;f.ver,sity of Chica~go . City.Univeristy of N.Y. ' ,

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& ' Thomas Pigfor'd * Alexander von Graevenitz *

, U. of California, Berkeley University of Zurich

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~ James Rainwater ' Alvin Weinberg - , . Columbia University Oak Ridge Associated Universities (

* A g . ..._ _ * Norman C. Rasmussen < Eugene Wigner MIT Princeton University ' , - , # . ,

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e h Attached are personal letters.from Drs.. Benedict and bigner

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m_ . e--.___.-e-.. ______- -. _ - _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _-__.n______- . . . . . , ' .. : F. * . MAY 2 61981 . M ANSON cENEDICT , > as m snoas , we= = . * uc=u. m .....

May 21, 1981

. Dr. Miro Todorovich Scientists and Engineers for Secure Energy

570 Seventh Avenue , Suite 1007 . New York, N. Y. 10018

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, Dear Dr. Todorovich: . I was shocked and dismayed t$ bear of the short-

! sighted action of the Congressional subco=mittee in amending the appropriation bill to delete funding for continuing construction of ' the Clinch River Breeder Reactor. , The Licuid Metal Breeder Re actor is this country's. best prospect for generating electricity after the year 2000. To bring this type of reactor,into> commercial service by that time, it : is necessary to build a succession of p -- 9ssively larger units. The Clinch River plant is a logical at this progression. Much of the engineering for this plant has , sa completed, and most of the major components have been fabricated. A generation of engineers have been trained to design and build this plant and bring it into operation. All this would be irretrie.vably lost if the olant is not built. The lead this country once had in fast reactor technology would pass to other nations which have had the foresight and resolve to continue development of the fast reactor without - the hesitation and vacillation rhich the United States now (displays. I hope that risdom will prevailsin Congress, andi that funds -till be appropriated to continue construction of the Clinch River 9reeder Reactor, - s Sincerely yours,

./Al *. Q - ){24u-5v . Hanson Benedict Professor of nuclear Engineering, Emeritus :

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. Massachusetts Institute of ; Technology

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, PRIMcETON, NSW JE2.817 Of $4 4

' ' May 27, 1981 .

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, Prof. Ediro Todorovich care of SE2 ,5cientists and Engineers for Secure Energy MC 7th Ave "" I?ew York li.T'. 1CC4 ~- Dear M.iro/: 'I sm very glsd to snswer your inquiry concerning the desirability to complete the construction of the Clinch River Breeder rasctor + snd piting it into operation. In ny opinion, both should be done and ressonably speedily. It is entirely true that it would oe possible to design and 'starc builcing a more effective breeder reactor than the . Cline)r .< Hiver reactor will be. But this would oe true, I hope, for any reactor now designed - tectnoloEy progresses and future designs' effectiveness will increase. Tae ease is true, to a consicerable extent, for any new nevelopment. Hence, if enjec- tions aimilar to those now raised against the completeion of the Clinch'Reacter are generally accepted, we will never. ~ bave a creeder. i In additicam I oelieve that it will be economical to comp-

lete che Clinch Breeder - it will not only produce power, it < sill also produce experience. Its abandonment would produce discouragement. Hoping tbac you sgree with my views, I am

. Tours very sincerely

. * s | Euge e P. Wigner

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