The agreement struck between House and Senate leaders this week on the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act criticizes the delays and cost overruns at the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility project, according to a report accompanying the bill released yesterday. “We believe the rising costs associated with the program, canceled facilities, missed deadlines, and questionable ability to produce fuel at market prices are unacceptable. We caution that further cost increases would undermine the feasibility and affordability of the program,”states an explanatory statement accompanying the bill.
It notes that the Department of Energy is currently undertaking a review of the project and other alternatives for plutonium disposition. “We expect to be fully briefed on this strategic review, including the new cost estimates and projected construction timeline, and what actions the Department is taking or will take to reign in the program costs and, if necessary, consider less costly alternatives for disposing of the plutonium from retire nuclear weapons,” the statement says. The legislation proposes authorizing $360 million for the facility’s construction in FY 14, an apparent balance between the $320 million in the House bill, matching the Administration’s request, and the $400 million in the Senate bill.
However, it adds that any future increases to the MOX budget should come out of a different account. “We believe the Department must make its national security activities its top priority in budgeting, and expect that critical National Nuclear Security Administration programs should not become the source of funds for future increases to the MOX program,” it states.
