
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC9303]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
             CHAPTER 101--MAGNETIC FUSION ENERGY ENGINEERING
 
Sec. 9303. Program activities


(a) Development in areas where lack of knowledge limits magnetic fusion 
        energy systems

    The Secretary shall initiate activities or accelerate existing 
activities in research areas in which the lack of knowledge limits 
magnetic fusion energy systems in order to ensure the achievement of the 
purposes of this chapter.

(b) Research programs on plasma confinement, alternate confinement 
        concepts, advanced fuels, and properties of materials likely to 
        be used in construction of fusion engineering devices

    (1) The Secretary shall maintain an aggressive plasma confinement 
research program on the current lead concept to provide a full measure 
of support for the design, construction, and operation of the fusion 
engineering devices.
    (2) The Secretary shall maintain a broadly based research program on 
alternate confinement concepts and on advanced fuels at a sufficient 
level of funding to achieve optimal design of each successive magnetic 
fusion facility using the then best available confinement and fuel 
concept.
    (3) The Secretary shall ensure that research on properties of 
materials likely to be required for the construction of fusion 
engineering devices is adequate to provide timely information for the 
design of such devices.

(c) Fusion engineering device designs

    (1) The Secretary shall initiate design activities on a fusion 
engineering device using the best available confinement concept to 
ensure operation of such a device at the earliest practicable time, but 
not later than the year 1990.
    (2) The Secretary shall develop and test the adequacy of the 
engineering design of components to be utilized in the fusion 
engineering device.

(d) Operation of demonstration plant at turn of twenty-first century

    The Secretary shall initiate at the earliest practical time each 
activity which he deems necessary to achieve the national goal for 
operation of a demonstration plant at the turn of the twenty-first 
century.

(e) Assessment of factors in determining commercial introduction of 
        magnetic fusion energy systems

    The Secretary shall continue efforts to assess factors which will 
determine the commercial introduction of magnetic fusion energy systems 
including, but not limited to--
        (1) projected costs relative to other alternative energy 
    sources;
        (2) projected growth rates in energy demand;
        (3) safety-related design limitations;
        (4) environmental impacts; and
        (5) limitations on the availability of strategic elements, such 
    as helium, lithium, and special metals.

(Pub. L. 96-386, Sec. 4, Oct. 7, 1980, 94 Stat. 1540.)
