The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“RECOGNIZING THE TRANSIENT REACTOR TEST FACILITY RESTART” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Senate section on pages S6219 on Sept. 18, 2018.
The Department oversees energy policies and is involved in how the US handles nuclear programs. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department's misguided energy regulations have caused large losses to consumers for decades.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING THE TRANSIENT REACTOR TEST FACILITY RESTART
Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, along with my colleagues Senator James Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, today I wish to call attention to an important event taking place today at the U.S. Department of Energy's, DOE, 890-square-mile site in Idaho. Today, Idaho National Laboratory, INL, personnel ran the first experiments in the Transient Reactor Test, TREAT, facility in nearly a quarter century.
Idaho National Laboratory is our Nation's lead nuclear energy research, development, and demonstration laboratory, the place where 52 original nuclear reactors were constructed and demonstrated. One of those reactors was the TREAT facility, which operated from 1959-1994, and remained fully fueled while on standby status. Transient testing focuses upon testing nuclear fuel under accident conditions. TREAT is one of the most capable and flexible transient test reactors in the world.
Following the accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi Power Plant in Japan 7 years ago, Congress directed the DOE to develop reactor fuels that could better withstand accident conditions. During TREAT's 35 operating years, the reactor performed 6,604 reactor startups and 2,884 transient irradiations. Given this history, it made more sense to restart the facility than build a new reactor. That decision paid off when, on August 31, 2017, the Resumption of Transient Testing Program was completed more than 1 year ahead of schedule and approximately $17 million under budget.
This highly successful restart at the TREAT facility was recognized in August, when a joint DOE-INL team won the Secretary of Energy Award. This award recognizes DOE employees or contractors who accomplish significant achievements. It is the highest nonmonetary internal recognition that can be achieved at the DOE. U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry highlighted the TREAT restart team's effort and efficiency, and recognized the importance of the facility to nuclear energy scientists and engineers as they work to develop advanced nuclear fuels and reactor technologies.
Congratulations, INL and DOE, on the TREAT restart and for bringing back online an important national asset in the effort to develop the advanced nuclear reactors so vital to our economy, environment, and national security.
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