2 Oct (NucNet): The US Department of Energy (DOE) has completed cooperative agreements with four industry consortia for conceptual design studies for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP).
The DOE said yesterday that the consortia were awarded 16.3 million US dollars (USD) (about 12 million euro) last week following negotiations of terms that began with the selection of the consortia in July 2007. The funding is part of a USD 60 million package to involve industry experts in conceptual designs for proposed GNEP facilities, which the US says will help to increase international nuclear energy cooperation and establish guaranteed fuel services.
The consortia, led by Areva, Energy Solutions, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas and General Atomics, will develop studies for a GNEP nuclear fuel recycling centre and advanced recycling reactor. Areva was awarded USD 5.6 million, Energy Solutions USD 4.3 million, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas USD 4.8 million and General Atomics USD 1.6 million.
Assistant secretary of nuclear energy at the DOE, Dennis Spurgeon, said: “These awards enable DOE to benefit from the vast technological and business experience of the private sector as we move towards the goal of closing the nuclear fuel cycle.”
