Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) is a plan to form an international partnership of invited countries involved in the supply or uranium, uranium enrichment, the sale of nuclear power technology to developing countries and nuclear waste disposal. [1]

The partnership was announced on February 6, 2006 by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman. The GNEP is a part of George W. Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative, which was announced in his 2006 State of the Union address.

In August 2006, Dr. Paul Lisowski was appointmented "as Deputy Director of Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems. As Deputy Director, Dr. Lisowski will lead the day-to-day operations of the Department's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership".

Ending GNEP's U.S. activities

In April 2009, the Obama administration announced it was scrapping the domestic portion of GNEP. Environmental groups had criticized the plans for domestic nuclear waste reprocessing as "too expensive and too dirty." Energy Department spokesperson Jen Stutsman said in a statement, "The Department has already decided not to continue the domestic GNEP program of the last administration. ... The long-term fuel cycle research and development program will continue, but not the near-term deployment of recycling facilities or fast reactors."

Initial announcement

In announcing the partnership the Department of Energy stated:

The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership has four main goals. First, reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources of fossil fuels and encourage economic growth. Second, recycle nuclear fuel using new proliferation-resistant technologies to recover more energy and reduce waste. Third, encourage prosperity growth and clean development around the world. And fourth, utilize the latest technologies to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation worldwide." [2]

The GNEP strategy includes seven elements, outlined by Secretary Bodman today:

1. Building of a new generation of nuclear power plants in the United States.

2. Developing and deploying new nuclear recycling technologies.

3. Working to effectively manage and eventually store spent nuclear fuel in the United States.

4. Designing Advance Burner Reactors that would produce energy from recycled nuclear fuel.

5. Establishing a fuel services program that would allow developing nations to acquire and use nuclear energy economically while minimizing the risk of nuclear proliferation.

6. Developing and constructing small scale reactors designed for the needs of developing countries.

7. Improving nuclear safeguards to enhance the proliferation-resistance and safety of expanded nuclear power." [3]

Funding

In his announcement of GNEP, Bodman flagged that the administration would be seeking a $250 million budget allocation in fiscal year 2007. [4]

Contact details

Web: The Department of Energy's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership page

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch articles

• Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism
• John Howard's Nuclear Debate
• Nuclear power
• Nuclear PR
• U.S. Department of Energy

External resources

• Department of Energy, Department of Energy Announces New Nuclear Initiative Global Nuclear Energy Partnership to expand safe, clean, reliable, affordable nuclear energy worldwide", Media Release, February 6, 2006.
• "Announcing the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership", Press Briefing by Deputy Secretary of Energy Clay Sell, February 6, 2006.

External articles

• Peter Baker and Dafna Linzer, "Nuclear Energy Plan Would Use Spent Fuel", Washington Post, January 26, 2006; Page A0
• Tom Morton, "Australia and the nuclear renaissance", Background Briefing, ABC Radio National, September 3, 2006.
• Mark Heinrich, "Nations Ink Deal to Provide Safer Atomic Power," Reuters, September 17, 2007.
• Alison Broinowski, "Nuclear Politics: Taking the A Train", New Matilda, October 1, 2007. (Sub req'd)