Energy Secretary Bill Richardson has reaffirmed his commitment to construction of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) despite significant cost and schedule increases that are anticipated (FPN99-41, 99-63, 00-6).

In a May 3 press release (//www.doe.gov/news/newsnrb.htm), Richardson states, "The National Ignition Facility remains a vital element of (nuclear weapons) Stockpile Stewardship." Richardson said he would increase this year's planned funding by $95 million (to a total of $175 M) and that he is expecting to increase the planned funding in FY 2002 by between $100 M and $150 M "depending on the result of the detailed rebaseline under review." Previously, DOE had planned a NIF budget of $66 M in FY 2002.

In the press release, DOE said that a new schedule had been approved for NIF and that "Under this plan, the first NIF laser beams are expected to come on-line in 2004, with the full complement (192) of laser beams operational in 2008." The original schedule planned for first beams in 2002 and full complement in 2004.

DOE had planned to have a "rebaselining" cost estimate for submission to Congress by June 1 but now says the June 1 report will be "an interim rebaselining report." The increased NIF costs will reportedly come primarily from other Defense Programs of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and, to a lesser extent, other parts of DOE's Defense Programs. DOE reportedly will not ask Congress for new monies, but Congressional sources indicate that Congress might prefer to add some monies rather than see certain other programs curtailed. The new total cost estimate for NIF is not yet determined but reportedly will be substantially higher than the $360 M originally rumored (FPN99-63).

Concurrently, the Directors of DOE's major weapons laboratories (Los Alamos, Livermore and Sandia) have issued a report (//www.dp.doe.gov/dp_web/news_f.htm) stating, "This paper is a reaffirmation of the role of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in stockpile stewardship and how a successful NIF will contribute to the maintenance of our nuclear weapon stockpile." The report is also signed by Brig. Gen Thomas Giaconda, the Acting Deputy Administrator of the new National Nuclear Security Administration at DOE.

The DOE press release notes that "When complete, the NIF will house the world's most powerful laser, with 60 times more energy than any laser in existence today. The NIF will produce conditions close to those at the center of stars and approaching those that occur inside detonating nuclear weapons. It is the first time such conditions will have been replicated in a laboratory setting."