ADVANCED LEU FUEL DEVELOPMENT

Letter of 19 April 1996 by Jon B. Wolfsthal, U.S. Department of Energy, on restart of RERTR Program Advanced Fuel Development

April 19, 1996

Dr. Armando Travelli
Argonne National Laboratory
9700 S. Cass Ave.
Argonne, IL 60439

Dear Dr. Travelli:

It is my pleasure to inform you that the Department of Energy has transferred $1.4 million dollars to Argonne National Laboratory to begin development of advanced, higher-density low enriched uranium fuels. This effort will directly support the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program and help achieve the President's stated goal of reducing and eventually eliminating international civil commerce in highly enriched uranium. Although the main focus of this work will be to develop fuels with application for the Department's important work with Russia and China, it is understood that the development of low enriched fuels with densities above 4.8 grams/cc will have applications elsewhere, including Europe and the United States.

Consistent with its prior statements, the Department of Energy intends to fully fund the advanced fuel development program until its objectives are met. The Department of Energy is requesting $3 million for advanced fuel development in fiscal year 1997 and the Department anticipates that this work will take at least five years to complete.
Congratulations and keep up the good work.

With warm regards,
Original Signed by
Jon B. Wolfsthal
RERTR Program Manager