Testimony - 2018 Admiral Caldwell SASC Testimony

Statement of Admiral James F. Caldwell Deputy Administrator for Naval Reactors National Nuclear Security Administration U.S. Department of Energy on the Fiscal Year 2019 President’s Budget Request Before the Senate Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces March 14, 2018

Includes the following overview of Major Projects:

"Major Projects

This past year marked the peak in our design efforts for the COLUMBIA-Class strategic ballistic missile submarine propulsion plant. Delivering the life-of-ship reactor core and electric drive propulsion system remains a top priority. The COLUMBIA-Class is the Navy's number one acquisition priority and we are on track to start reactor plant component procurement in FY 2019 to support the start of ship construction in FY 2021. FY 2019 funding of $138 million will provide for propulsion plant component design, development, and testing to support FY 2019 long-lead component contract placement in addition to supporting reactor plant testing and safety analysis. 3 FY 2019 marks the start of the land-based prototype refueling overhaul. The $250 million request in this year’s budget will support the refueling overhaul which is vital to the nuclear propulsion program, enabling 20 additional years of Naval Reactors’ commitment to research, development, and training in New York. As part of this refueling activity, we will insert newly manufactured COLUMBIA-Class type fuel modules with the prototype refueling reactor core, enabling testing and demonstration of core manufacturability necessary for production and delivery of the COLUMBIA-Class reactor.

Naval Reactors FY 2019 budget request includes $287 million in construction funding to continue the Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization Project. The project broke ground last year, and we are conducting site preparation. Full support from Congress has enabled us to keep this project on track and on budget. The total estimated cost for this project remains unchanged. Continued Congressional support will ensure the facility is ready to receive spent nuclear fuel from aircraft carriers in FY 2024 and be fully operational by 2025."