*EPF206 07/24/01
Text: Nuclear Nations Agree to Develop Technologies Collectively
(Energy Dept. forum sets 2030 for new nuclear generation) (630)

Washington -- The United States and several leading nuclear-energy producing countries have agreed to develop collectively by 2030 a new generation of nuclear technologies that are safe, reliable and economic, U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham says.

Generation IV International Forum (GIF) member nations -- including the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and others -- will develop a research "roadmap" by 2002, according to a July 23 Energy Department press release. "All elements of the international research community, including industry, academia, government and non-government organizations" are expected to be involved in the research, the release said.

The Bush administration's National Energy Policy report released in May included a recommendation to "pursue research that will develop next generation nuclear reactor technologies," noted the release.

GIF was established in 2000 to begin investigating nuclear power systems as a long-term energy option," the release said.

Following is the text of the Energy Department press release:

(begin text)

U.S. Leads Establishment of Generation IV International Forum for Nuclear Energy Cooperation
Aims to Develop the Next-Generation Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems by 2030

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham today announced the signing of a formal charter by the United States and governments of leading nuclear nations, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom, establishing the Generation IV International Forum (GIF), as an international collective dedicated to the development by 2030 of the next generation of nuclear reactor and fuel cycle technologies. The charter provides the framework to plan and conduct international cooperative research on advanced nuclear energy systems that are safe, reliable, economic, and proliferation resistant.

The activities of the GIF support the recommendation in the Bush Administration's National Energy Policy to pursue research that will develop next generation nuclear reactor technologies.

"Nuclear energy technologies are needed to meet today's and tomorrow's energy challenges and help provide a clean and affordable world energy source," said Secretary Abraham. "This agreement is the foundation for the U.S. and our international partners to develop innovative and revolutionary nuclear energy technologies that will be safer, more reliable, more economic, and more proliferation-resistant."

The GIF member countries will work together on Generation IV technologies, sharing resources, expertise, and facilities -- an approach that will lead to efficiencies in designs and avoid duplication of efforts. The objectives of the Forum are to develop concepts for one or more Generation IV nuclear energy systems that can be licensed, constructed and operated in a manner that will provide an economic and reliable supply of energy.

GIF charter members are developing a Generation IV technology roadmap, that when completed in fall 2002, will define the research necessary to develop and deploy the most promising technologies. This technology roadmap will serve as the organizing basis for all of GIF's future research activities. It is anticipated that GIF will collaborate with all elements of the international research community, including industry, academia, government and non-government organizations.

The GIF was initiated in January 2000, when nine countries first met in Washington, D.C., and announced a joint statement of intent to begin investigation of Generation IV nuclear power systems as a long-term option. The second and third meetings of the Forum were held in Seoul, Korea, and Paris, France, in August 2000 and March 2001, respectively. The next meeting of GIF will be held in Miami, Fla. [Florida], in October 2001. Membership in GIF is open to other countries with the approval of the charter members.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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