HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.
![handle is hein.gao/gaobaaclm0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
DOCUMENT RESUME
02788 - A21532461 t'1&--
[Views on the Nation's Commitment to the Development of Liquid
Metal Fast Breeder Technology]. EMD-77-56; B-164105. August 2,
1977. 4 pp.
Report to Rep. lement J. Zablocki, Chairman, House Committee on
International Felations; by Elmer B. Staats, Comptroller
General.
Issue Area: Energy: Making Nuclear Fission a Substantial Energy
Source (1608).
Contact: Energy and minerals Div.
Budget Function: Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy:
Energy (305).
Organization ?oncerned: Energy Research and Development
Administration.
Congressional Relevance: House Cocmittes on International
Relations.
GAO's views on the U.S. commitment to the development
of tie Liquid Mletal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMPBE) technology were
solicited, specifically as to whether the President's decision
to abandon the Cinch River Braeder Reactor (CRBE) project meant
abandonment of the whole LNFBR program, findings/Conclusions:
The abandonment of the CRBR, coupled with the major cutbacks in
breeder research and development, will not enhan%e this Nation's
understandiLg of the various nuclear alternatives, Termination
would drastically alter emphasis on LFBER development, and
restarting the program later might be so costly and difficult as
to outweigh the benefits. Estimates by the Energy Research aad
Development Administration for stopping in mid-1977 and resuming
4 months later range from $346 million to S1.3 billion, with a
schedule delay from 2 to 5-plus years. The most logical course
is to pursue the program as a research and development effort,
with a final decision as to f1l implementation being made some
7 to 10 years away. By its action, the administtation hopes to
control nuclear prolitei.ation, but given foreign development
efforts, the decision will have little impact. Moreover, this
Nation's future ability to influence safety and other features
of breeders worldwide may bt diluted. The relative proliferation
potential of alternative nuclear systems is currently aeing
studled. (DJM)](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaaclm0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)