FPN04-08

FY 2005 ICF Budget Request

February 12, 2004

In addition to the civilian fusion effort in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FPN04-05), the DOE also funds an effort in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) in its National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

In his FY 2005 budget, recently submitted to Congress, the President requests $492 million, compared to $514.3 million appropriated by Congress in FY 2004. As in previous years, the DOE NNSA failed to request continuation of efforts important for civilian energy applications of ICF. Those programs, added by Congress, were funded at a level of $28.78 million in FY 2004. Of the $492 M requested, $130 million is for continuation of construction of the National Ignition Facility (NIF).