FPN08-55

Massive Fusion Planning Effort Launched

September 20, 2008

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES) has launched a massive Strategic Planning Process, according to a September 19 letter from Acting OFES head Gene Nardella. The effort will initially be limited to the "Magnetic Fusion Energy Sciences (MFES) part of the program" according to the letter. "Separate long-range strategic plans" for inertial fusion and plasma science will be developed "later" according to the letter.

OFES is in the process of appointing chairs and co-chairs from the fusion community to organize a series of committees for "five theme areas" to provide input for a major 7-day workshop in June 2009 that will involve 200-250 persons "by invitation only." The letter says "OFES will use the final workshop report to complete the detailed strategic plan for the MFES part of the Fusion Energy Sciences Program" by early 2010.

OFES has already begun internally to prepare a "Strategic Overview Plan" that they intend to provide to Congress by March 1, 2009. That document is to describe "an overview of our strategic thinking for the next 15-20 years that is consistent with Administration priorities." OFES plans to provide a draft of its internally-prepared Strategic Overview Plan to its Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) at its November 6-7 public meeting in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Copies of the letter and three single page planning charts are available on request from Fusion Power Associates at fusionpwrassoc@aol.com