FPN01-30

NIF Funds Released

April 24, 2001

In the FY2001 Energy and Water Appropriations Act (FPN00-48), Congress appropriated $199.1 million to the continued construction of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, of which $130 million was made available immediately (October 27, 2000) and $69.1 million would be made available only upon a certification to the Congress after March 31, 2001 regarding six specific points. On April 6, 2001, the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) forwarded the required certification. Clarifying letters from NNSA were also sent April 13 and April 19 and subsequently, the additional $69.1 million was released to the NIF project. The complete set of letters and supporting documentation is available at:

http://www.dp.doe.gov/dp_web/news_f.htm

With respect to the six points at issue, the NNSA responded as follows:

1. "Completion of the full 192-beam NIF on the current cost and schedule baseline is an appropriate path forward and I (NNSA Administrator John A. Gordon) recommend that path. I strongly believe that deviations from the current baseline will increase risk to the project and would adversely impact the Stockpile Stewardship Program as a whole."

2. "Measured against the approved NIF baseline, the established project and technical milestones have been met on schedule and cost."

3. "Through the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2001, ongoing monthly reviews complemented by the March 2001 Defense Programs NIF Status Review have confirmed that the Project is performing within the baseline schedule and cost." (NNSA puts a footnote disclaimer that the review process did not follow the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, FPN01-23).

4. "A High-Energy-Density Physics (HEDP) Workshop was held to study the requirements for, and alternatives to, a 192-beam ignition facility. A Study was prepared with input from the Workshop. The Study concluded that completing the 192-beam NIF on the approved baseline meets the Stockpile Stewardship Program requirements for maintaining the safety and reliability of the current nuclear weapons stockpile."

5. "The Project has implemented and is using and earned-value management system as one of its management tools."

6. "The National Nuclear Security Administration's Future-Years Nuclear Security Program for FY 2002 through 2007 is currently undergoing review and will be submitted to Congress after completion of the President's strategic review of national security-related activities. Funding the National Ignition Facility is included in this proposed plan."

Administrator Gordon said, "I have come to the following conclusions.

"1. The NIF Project should continue along the approved 192-beam baseline at a Total Project and Related Cost of $3,448 million with Project completion at the end of Fiscal Year 2008.

"2. Defense Programs should continue with the current HEDP Program, including the Omega laser at the University of Rochester, the Z-machine at Sandia National Laboratories, the 192-beam NIF with the goal of ignition at Lawrence Livermore.

"3. People are the most important asset of the NNSA. The HEDP Program and NIF play an important role in attracting, training, and retaining the outstanding talent who will serve as the next generation of stockpile stewards.

"4. The proposed refurbishment of the Z-machine shows promise to enhance the HEDP Program, but it cannot provide the same capabilities as NIF.

"5. The NIF Project team is capable of managing the Project so as to assure a high probability of successful execution."