The bill provides $248,495,000 for the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, as requested by the President, and level with FY2001. Fusion researchers had been hoping for a $30 million add-on in conference, which did not materialize. However, the conferees did provide an increase of $39.5 million over the President's request for inertial confinement fusion as part of DOE's Defense Programs budget. This amount includes $24.5 M for the development of high-average-power lasers, slightly less than the $25 M appropriated last year. Funds for this program were not requested by the President. Funds in the amount of $3 million were added for a new program for "conceptual and preliminary engineering design for a petawatt-class laser at the Sandia National Laboratory's Z machine, and $1,000,000 is provided to initiate development of critical short-pulse laser technologies like damage-resistant gratings." Petawatt lasers are an essential component for "fast ignition," of inertial fusion targets, which could improve the prospects for affordable inertial fusion power plants.
The Energy and Water Development conference report may be found at the following web address: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/approver.html and then, in the column headed Conference Report, click on H.Rept 107-258.
The full text of the relevant conference report language is provided below:
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"Fusion energy sciences.--The conference agreement includes $248,495,000, as proposed by both the House and Senate, for fusion energy sciences."
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"For inertial confinement fusion, the conference agreement provides $506,443,000, an increase of $39,500,000 over the budget request, and includes several program funding adjustments. The conference agreement includes $10,000,000 for the Naval Research Laboratory, the same as the budget request. Funding of $24,500,000 has been provided to further development of high average power lasers.
"The conference agreement includes $35,450,000 for the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester, an increase of $2,000,000 over the budget request, to be used for development of critical short-pulse laser technologies that should be extensible to producing very high power laser capability on the National Ignition Facility as well as existing large fusion research lasers like Omega.
"The conference agreement provides an additional $7,000,000 for enhanced National Ignition Facility (NIF) diagnostics and cryogenic target activities, and $245,000,000, the same as the budget request, for continued construction of the NIF.
"The conferees understand the Department is preparing a National Petawatt Strategic Plan and support completion of this initiative, including within the strategic planning the research and development of supporting technologies necessary to ensure U.S. leadership in ultra-short-pulse laser technology. Funding of $3,000,000 is provided for conceptual and preliminary engineering design studies for a petawatt-class laser at the Sandia National Laboratory's Z machine, and $1,000,000 is provided to initiate development of critical short-pulse laser technologies like damage-resistant gratings.
"The conferees strongly support university participation in this program and have provided $9,886,000 for university grants/other ICF support, an increase of $4,500,000 over the budget request. This includes $2,500,000 to complete the installation and initiate operation of a petawatt laser or high power, short-pulse laser at the University of Nevada-Reno. The conferees believe that early access to an operating petawatt-class laser will provide opportunities for exploring technology options to incorporate in the next generation of petawatt lasers."