Siting Study For Hanford Advanced Fuels Test & Research Center

In January 2007, the Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a grant to the Tri City Development Council (TRIDEC) to manage a collaborative effort between the Columbia Basin Consulting Group (CBCG) and a TRIDEC-led consortium team. The purpose of the grant was to evaluate the Hanford Site as a potential location for critical fuels and advanced nuclear reactor facilities to support the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). Energy Secretary Bodman stated, “GNEP seeks to bring about significant, wide-scale use of nuclear energy through the development of better, more efficient and proliferation-resistant nuclear fuel cycles while reducing the volume of nuclear waste requiring ultimate disposal.” The expansion of nuclear energy in the U.S. under GNEP is part of a comprehensive response to concerns regarding greenhouse gas production and nuclear non-proliferation. The Fast Flux Test Facility is a 400 MWt, fast spectrum, sodium cooled research reactor. It is uniquely designed to test nuclear fuels and materials in a fast spectrum environment. Such fuels and materials testing and qualification is a necessary precursor to the deployment of the Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) technology selected by DOE in December 2006 for the advanced recycle reactors necessary to close the fuel cycle.