FPN07-50

GAO Fusion Report to be Released Soon

September 14, 2007

In July 2005 the U. S. Senate, in passing the FY2006 Department of Energy Appropriations Bill, adopted an amendment by Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) calling for a review of the U.S. fusion program by the General Accountability Office (GAO). The amendment stated, "The GAO shall consider any other magnetic fusion confinement system as a possible fusion demonstration facility that will follow ITER and, given the NNSA investment in the physics of inertial confinement fusion, the GAO shall evaluated the opportunities for the Office of Science to develop the appropriate science and technology to leverage the NNSA investments as an alternative to the tokamak concept."

The GAO report is scheduled to be issued October 16 to Congress. The relevant Congressional Committees have the authority to place a 30 day hold on the report, which could delay somewhat its release to the public.