Your editorial, “Fighting to save good nuclear science” (June 24), describing the potential long-term benefits of Argonne’s advanced reactor program, does a fine job of spelling out the multiple important contributions that this technology can provide. From a long-term perspective, it would be an affront to future generations to abandon this abundant supply of energy.
You may not be aware that Japan has already been given an inside track on the future exploitation of this Argonne technology and is in a position to move ahead on its own if the U.S. program falters. Several years ago the Department of Energy entered into a technology-sharing agreement with Japanese utilities that offered up areas of laboratory research on the reactor’s fuel cycle in exchange for partial financial support.
If the Argonne program is closed down, one more major economic advantage will have been turned over to our foreign competition.
