“These studies will contribute to the analysis and inform the research that DOE is conducting to further the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership,” Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy Dennis R. 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.”

In July, DOE announced that four consortia led by AREVA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.; EnergySolutions, LLC; GE-Hitachi Nuclear Americas, LLC; and General Atomics were selected to receive up to $16 million.  DOE has since negotiated the final terms of the cooperative agreements with the selected applicants and awards have been made for the consortia to provide conceptual design studies, technology development roadmaps, business plans, and a communications strategy in 2008 supporting decisions regarding the GNEP proposal for a nuclear fuel recycling center and advanced recycling reactor.

The following outlines the funding negotiated for each applicant.

AREVA AND MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD. ($5.6 MILLION)
Principal Team Members: Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited; Battelle Memorial Institute; BWX Technologies, Inc.; and Washington Group International

ENERGY SOLUTIONS, LLC (ENERGY SOLUTIONS) ($4.3 Million)
Principal Team Members: The Shaw Group and Westinghouse Electric Company.  Additional members: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL); Booz Allen Hamilton; Nexia Solutions; Nuclear Fuel  Services; and Toshiba.

GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR AMERICAS, LLC (GE-HITACHI) ($4.8 Million)
 Team Members: Burns and Roe; Ernst & Young; Fluor Corporation; International Business Machines  (IBM); and Lockheed Martin.

GENERAL ATOMICS (GENERAL ATOMICS) ($1.6 Million)
Team Members: CH2M Hill; United Technologies Corporation - Hamilton Sundstrand Rocketdyne  Division (UTC); a Russian consortium led by OKB Mechanical Engineering (OKBM); Potomac  Communications Group; LISTO; and KAERI.

Today’s announcement is part of $60 million in funding opportunities announced by the Deputy Secretary of Energy Clay Sell in May to engage industry experts in the conceptual designs for proposed GNEP facilities.  The $60 million in funding opportunities includes the current funding announced today of $16.3 million and planned future funding of $44 million that is expected to be made available through September 2009, subject to congressional appropriations and other considerations.

GNEP is part of President Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative and seeks to enable the expanded use of nuclear energy worldwide to meet growing electricity demand.  GNEP seeks to close the nuclear fuel cycle in ways that reduce proliferation risks, reduce waste and increase global energy security.

Read more information on the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP).