{ "id": "RL34234", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL34234", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 445993, "date": "2012-10-19", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T21:39:22.758969", "title": "Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power", "summary": "After several decades of widespread stagnation, nuclear power has attracted renewed interest in recent years. New license applications for 30 reactors have been announced in the United States, and another 548 are under construction, planned, or proposed around the world. In the United States, interest appears driven, in part, by tax credits, loan guarantees, and other incentives in the 2005 Energy Policy Act, as well as by concerns about carbon emissions from competing fossil fuel technologies.\nA major concern about the global expansion of nuclear power is the potential spread of nuclear fuel cycle technology\u2014particularly uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing\u2014that could be used for nuclear weapons. Despite 30 years of effort to limit access to uranium enrichment, several undeterred states pursued clandestine nuclear programs, the A.Q. Khan black market network\u2019s sales to Iran and North Korea representing the most egregious examples. However, concern over the spread of enrichment and reprocessing technologies may be offset by support for nuclear power as a cleaner and more secure alternative to fossil fuels. The Obama Administration has expressed optimism that advanced nuclear technologies being developed by the Department of Energy may offer proliferation resistance. The Administration has also pursued international incentives and agreements intended to minimize the spread of fuel cycle facilities.\nProposals offering countries access to nuclear power and thus the fuel cycle have ranged from requesting formal commitments by these countries to forswear sensitive enrichment and reprocessing technology, to a de facto approach in which states would not operate fuel cycle facilities but make no explicit commitments, to no restrictions at all. Countries joining the U.S.-led Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), now the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC), signed a statement of principles that represented a shift in U.S. policy by not requiring participants to forgo domestic fuel cycle programs. Whether developing states will find existing proposals attractive enough to forgo what they see as their \u201cinalienable\u201d right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes remains to be seen.\nGNEP was transformed into IFNEC under the Obama Administration and has continued as an international fuel cycle forum, but the Bush Administration\u2019s plans for constructing nuclear fuel reprocessing and recycling facilities in the United States have been halted. Instead, the Obama Administration is supporting fundamental research on a variety of potential waste management technologies. Other ideas addressing the potential global expansion of nuclear fuel cycle facilities include placing all enrichment and reprocessing facilities under multinational control, developing new nuclear technologies that would not produce weapons-usable fissile material, and developing a multinational waste management system. Various systems of international fuel supply guarantees, multilateral uranium enrichment centers, and nuclear fuel reserves have also been proposed.\nCongress will have a considerable role in at least four areas of oversight related to fuel cycle proposals. The first is providing funding and oversight of U.S. domestic programs related to expanding nuclear energy in the United States. The second area is policy direction and/or funding for international measures to assure supply. A third set of policy issues may arise in the context of U.S. participation in IFNEC or related initiatives. A fourth area in which Congress plays a key role is in the approval of nuclear cooperation agreements. Significant interest in these issues is expected to continue in the 112th Congress.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL34234", "sha1": "6b6406d376ea747080cb4e6c9469ed96b82ab118", "filename": "files/20121019_RL34234_6b6406d376ea747080cb4e6c9469ed96b82ab118.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL34234", "sha1": "591aea4d086327b3332bd2ea4914d39e1789156e", "filename": "files/20121019_RL34234_591aea4d086327b3332bd2ea4914d39e1789156e.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 2599, "name": "Nuclear Energy" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 3227, "name": "Proliferation and Arms Control" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc99112/", "id": "RL34234_2011Mar02", "date": "2011-03-02", "retrieved": "2012-08-31T21:48:36", "title": "Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power", "summary": "This report discusses motivating factors underlying the resurgent interest in nuclear power, the nuclear power industry's current state of affairs, and the interdependence of the various stages of the nuclear fuel cycle. A number of proposals have been offered that are aimed at limiting direct participation in the global nuclear fuel industry by assuring access to nuclear fuel supplies.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110302_RL34234_f090c125dbff70fcba3e744347979f78d4ef56c7.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110302_RL34234_f090c125dbff70fcba3e744347979f78d4ef56c7.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear nonproliferation", "name": "Nuclear nonproliferation" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear industry -- Security measures", "name": "Nuclear industry -- Security measures" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear plants", "name": "Nuclear plants" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc503632/", "id": "RL34234_2010Mar05", "date": "2010-03-05", "retrieved": "2015-04-30T17:37:21", "title": "Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power", "summary": "This report discusses motivating factors underlying the resurgent interest in nuclear power, the nuclear power industry's current state of affairs, and the interdependence of the various stages of the nuclear fuel cycle. A number of proposals have been offered that are aimed at limiting direct participation in the global nuclear fuel industry by assuring access to nuclear fuel supplies.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20100305_RL34234_a9aed3a740213c8fd2ef0128fc8e8eac72d18f38.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20100305_RL34234_a9aed3a740213c8fd2ef0128fc8e8eac72d18f38.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear industry -- Security measures", "name": "Nuclear industry -- Security measures" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear nonproliferation", "name": "Nuclear nonproliferation" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear plants", "name": "Nuclear plants" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc26266/", "id": "RL34234_2009Jul01", "date": "2009-07-01", "retrieved": "2010-07-07T17:39:19", "title": "Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power", "summary": "After several decades of widespread stagnation, nuclear power is attracting renewed interest. Expanding global access to nuclear power has the potential to lead to the spread of nuclear technology that could be used for nuclear weapons. This report discusses the issue of nuclear power with regard to nuclear weapons nonproliferation policies, the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) begun under the Bush Administration, the future of the GNEP under the Obama Administration, and four areas of oversight in which Congress will have a considerable role.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090701_RL34234_28bfc5e47c6da313b98ea51d6684e4a231087fc6.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090701_RL34234_28bfc5e47c6da313b98ea51d6684e4a231087fc6.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Energy", "name": "Energy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear power", "name": "Nuclear power" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense policy", "name": "Defense policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International control of nuclear power", "name": "International control of nuclear power" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear fuels", "name": "Nuclear fuels" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc463226/", "id": "RL34234_2008Sep03", "date": "2008-09-03", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power", "summary": "This report is intended to provide Members and congressional staff with the background needed to understand the current debate over proposed strategies to redesign the global nuclear fuel cycle. It begins with a look at the motivating factors underlying the resurgent interest in nuclear power, the nuclear power industry's current state of affairs, and the interdependence with the nuclear fuel cycle.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20080903_RL34234_7850a3d9efb0950d4e008ede49600c2067898d14.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20080903_RL34234_7850a3d9efb0950d4e008ede49600c2067898d14.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear fuels", "name": "Nuclear fuels" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear industry", "name": "Nuclear industry" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear facilities", "name": "Nuclear facilities" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc96791/", "id": "RL34234_2008Mar07", "date": "2008-03-07", "retrieved": "2012-08-07T13:52:45", "title": "Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power", "summary": "This report discusses the current debate over proposed strategies to redesign the global nuclear fuel cycle. It begins with a look at the motivating factors underlying the resurgent interest in nuclear power, the nuclear power industry's current state of affairs, and the interdependence with the nuclear fuel cycle.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20080307_RL34234_60e61c44ce3e98e1b44b4e044b742a705c13ab89.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20080307_RL34234_60e61c44ce3e98e1b44b4e044b742a705c13ab89.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear fuels", "name": "Nuclear fuels" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear energy policy", "name": "Nuclear energy policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Nuclear reactors", "name": "Nuclear reactors" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc808003/", "id": "RL34234_2008Jan30", "date": "2008-01-30", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20080130_RL34234_5cba0b5aa80c7e448688fa65ecf5229fde5da677.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20080130_RL34234_5cba0b5aa80c7e448688fa65ecf5229fde5da677.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc807308/", "id": "RL34234_2007Nov01", "date": "2007-11-01", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20071101_RL34234_d7a4a60bac8952ffa98e4301062ef02bc41d051d.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20071101_RL34234_d7a4a60bac8952ffa98e4301062ef02bc41d051d.html" } ], "topics": [] } ], "topics": [ "Economic Policy", "Energy Policy", "Foreign Affairs", "National Defense" ] }