ORNL-5388 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

t 5-25
i
I;
1
L
ir
1
I
Estimated cost ranges and times for the development and commercialization of a new
reprocessing technology and a new refabrication technology are presented in Tables 5.1
and 5.2 respectively. From these tables, it can be seen that the total cost to the
federal government to develop a new reprocessing technology would range between $0.8 billion
and $2.0 billion. The corresponding cost for a new refabrication technology would be
I
between $0.4 billion and $1.1 bil-
Table 5.2-1. Estimated Cost Range for Development and lion. For fuel recycle development,
Commercialization of a Typicil New
iieprocessing Technology
the costs traditionally borne by
the government include basic R&D,
Unescalated
Billion$ of Dollars
Base technology R&D
2.1 - 0.5
Hot pilot plant testing
0.5 - 1.0
Subtotal 0.6 - 1.5
Large-scale cold prototype testing b 0.2 - 0.5
Total 0.8 - 2.0
Large-scale demonstration pl antc (1,O - 3.0)
la
.Estimated taped time requirements from initial devetopment
through demonstnation ranges from 12 ymrs
:for established technology to 20 years for new technology.
bGovernaent might incur costs of this magnitude as
Dart of demonstration program.
c
Comnercial facility - extent of government participation
difficult to define at this time.
construction and operation of
pilot plants, development of largescale
prototype equipment, and support
for initial demonstration
facilities. To these costs should
be added the costs of the waste
treatment techno1 ogy development
needed to close the fuel cycle.
The capital costs estimated
for a comnercial demonstration
facility are listed separately in
Tables 5.1 and 5.2 because the
extent that the government might
Table 5.2-2. Estimated Cost Range for Development
and Demonstration of a Typigal New
Refabri cati on Techno1 ogy
Unescalated
billions of Dollars
Base technology 0.1 - 0.3
Cold component testin: 0.’2 - 0.4
Irradiation performance testing 0.1 - 0.4
Total 0.4 - 1.1
b
Large-scal e demonstration
(0.7 - 1.4)
“Estimated lapsed time requirements from initial
development through demonstration ranges from
about 8 - 10 years for technology near that
bestablished to about 15 years for new technology.
Comnercial faci 1 i ty - extent of government
participation difficult to define at this time.
support these facilities is un-
known. Since they will be
commercial facilities, costs
incurred either by the government
or by a private owner could be
recovered in fees. The total
capital costs might range between
$1.0 billion and $3.0 billion for a
large reprocessing demonstration
facility and between $0.7 billion and
$1.4 billion for a refabrication
demonstration faci 1 i
ty .
Tables 5.1 and 5.2 show that ,
the major costs associated with
comnercialization of fuel cycles lie
at the far end of the R&D progression, namely, in the steps involving pilot plants, large-scale
prototype equipment development, and demonstration plants, if required.
The rate and sequencing
of R&D expenditures can be inferred from Tables 5.2-1 and 5.2-2. Base technology R&D to identify
process and equipment concepts may require 2-6 years. The engineering phase of the development