GOVERNMENT
Private Ownership of Atomic Fuel Approved Senate votes to end government monopoly on atomic fuel for use in power reactors
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A bill that could have a profound effect on the future development of atomic power has been approved by the Senate. It would end the government monopoly on fuel for atomic power reactors and would require a complete switchover to private ownership by 1973. The bill (S. 3075) passed the Senate in routine fashion without any debate pro or con and no opposition seems likely to develop when it is called up for House debate. Rep. Chet Holifield (D.-Calif.), vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, calling the bill "the most sweeping amendment to the Atomic Energy Act since 1954," says, "This legislation will vitally affect the future legal and economic structure of the whole atomic energy industry/' S. 3075 would: • Permit utilities to make long-range plans for nuclear fuel needs on a regular commercial basis. • End distortion of nuclear technology by making conservation of fuel a commercial necessity. • Permit the Government to stop carrying huge inventories of atomic fuel to supply commercial reactors. • Permit the domestic uranium industry to develop normally without relying on the Government. Many segments of the atomic energy industry will be unhappy with the details of the bill. For example, it does not provide the flexibility to deal with future problems that the Atomic Energy Commission asked for. It does not require an immediate switch to private ownership as demanded by the coal industry and urged by electric utilities. It provides no rigid mechanism to protect domestic uranium miners and processors from potential import competition. However, these shortcomings in the legislation should be of little consequence because industry believes that private ownership of fuel is vital to the proper development of a strong atomic power industry. As Murray Joslin, vice president of Common-
Rep. Chet Holifield (D.-Calif.) Calls bill most sweeping amendment to Atomic Energy Act since 1954
wealth Edison, put it at earlier hearings (C&EN, June 22, page 3 4 ) , "Stabilization of the industry is worth giving u p some pet ideas." Timetable. The bill sets u p a timetable for converting lease arrangements for nuclear fuel to mandatory private ownership. Once the bill is passed, AEC could immediately sell nuclear fuel. However, it is unlikely that many utilities would take advantage of this provision as long as they could lease fuel from AEC. After Dec. 30, 1970, AEC could not distribute nuclear fuel to reactor operators in any way except by direct sale. AEC could continue to lease material to fuel fabricators and converters but a reactor operator would have to buy the fuel once it is transferred to him. By June 30, 1973, conversion to private ownership would be complete. By this date, all government-owned atomic fuel previously leased to reactor operators by AEC must be converted to private ownership. After Dec. 30, 1970, AEC would stop buying back at a guaranteed price plutonium produced in licensed reactors. According to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, by this time re-
search on utilization of plutonium should have reached a point where the value of plutonium as a fuel should be determined. Thus, industry should be able to support a commercial mar ket in plutonium. Setting a cutoff date for plutonium buy-back should spur R&D efforts to develop plutonium as a reactor fuel. However, AEC will continue to buy back at guaran teed prices uranium enriched in the isotope uranium-233. Toll Enrichment. The bill also au thorizes AEC to enrich privately owned uranium for a fee (toll enrich ment) in its gaseous diffusion plants. AEC wanted to start this service im mediately but the bill prohibits this type of operation before Jan. 1, 1969. This date coincides with the date on which AEC's uranium procurement prices change. They will drop from a flat $8.00 per pound of uranium oxide to prices determined for each producer on the basis of his production costs. With a ceiling of $6.70 per pound on these prices, the average government price during 1969-70 is expected to be about $6.00 per pound. Postponing the starting date for toll enrichment would prevent reactor li censees from buying uranium on the open market for considerably less than the $8.00-per-pound rate set by AEC purchase contracts, JCAE says. In addition, the delay will give AEC a chance to get rid of some of its inven tory of high-priced uranium. The bill puts no embargoes, quotas, or other restrictions on import of for eign uranium. However, one section of the bill directs AEC to refuse toll enrichment to imports "to the extent necessary to assure the maintenance of a viable domestic uranium industry." Imports of uranium could have a serious impact on the domestic mining and milling industry, especially during a period of limited demand for ura nium concentrates. JCAE points out that AEC's periodic review of domes tic and world uranium markets will permit it to offer enrichment services on a basis that will promote a healthy domestic industry. In addition, these flexible restrictions will not interfere with any U.S. obligations under its in ternational trade agreements. Passage of this legislation does not signal an end to the Government's re sponsibility for developing atomic power. It means that federal aid will now be directed toward developing re actors which promise to expand the nation's energy resources, JCAE says.
SILICONE IDEAS
What happens when you ask 10,468 engineers the same questions? Utter chaos. You get at least 10,468 different answers. It hap pened to us when 10,468 engineers tried out a tube of General Electric's ready-to-use RTV-102 in on-the-job applications. RTV-102 is a remarkable silicone rubber adhesive/sealant that does a terrific job in a multitude of applications. But we wondered which type of application offers the most oppor tunities for selling the stuff. Hence, the survey. What do you suppose we found out? Surprise! We found out that RTV-102 does a terrific job in nearly 10,468 applications ! "RTV-102 is unusually versatile," wrote one engineer, "I used it to seal around doors on wet rubber systems." "Used it for sealing signal conditioner pack ages against high humidity environments," wrote another, "good moisture-tight bond to aluminum." An R&D man used
G e n e r a l Electric Company, Silicone Products Department Section SI-8B, W a t e r f o r d , N e w York 1 2 1 8 8 Send me (quantity)
RTV-102,
RTV-103,
RTV-106,.
RTV-109 at $2.00 per tube. I've enclosed a check for $
RTV-108, _made out to
" G e n e r a l Electric." No C . O . D / s , please. Name Address-
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it to hold interconnection wiring in position on a harness design mockup. "RTV-102 has high resiliency and strength," he commented, "and is readily removed if necessary." A botanist used it to make holders (bonded to glass) for marine algae specimens and praised "its resistance to the action of sea water." An engineer at CALTECH was delighted with RTV-102's performance in two separate gasketing applica tions for freon pressure, a high-voltage R.F. dielectric appli cation, and "one instance where we wanted a smog-resistant resilient mounting for a large precision mirror." He likes RTV-102 because it has "excellent adhesion, high strength, and resistance to chemical attack." Why not use the coupon above to send for some white RTV-102, black RTV-103, translucent RTV-108, aluminum RTV-109, or red RTV-106 (which gives extra high-tempera ture resistance up to 6 0 0 ° F ) . They come in 3-ounce tubes. Their versatility as all-around caulks, gaskets, encapsulants, electrical insulators, weatherproofers, sealers, and laminates cari't be matched. Think of all the R&D, production, and repair problems you can solve permanently with a tough, flexible General Electric silicone rubber bond that won't leak, shrink, melt, crack, harden, or peel. We like to ask questions, but we've got plenty of answers too. For free informa tion about General Electric's rapidly expanding collection of silicone rubbers, fluids, emulsions, etc., drop us a line or two mentioning your application. We'll send you a plentiful supply of pertinent data. Address your letter to Section F8114, Silicone Products Dept., General Electric Co., Waterford, Ν. Υ. 12188.
G E N E R A L S ELECTRIC AUG.
17,
1964
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