Battelle has plan to raise cash for INEEL research – Contractor says strategy involves private industry

IDAHO FALLS — The leader of the company taking over research operations at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory said he is ready to implement a plan that will bring in the extra cash needed to build a world-class nuclear power research program at the facility.

The Associated Press

http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041117/NEWS02/411170317/1029

John Grossenbacher, who is charged with creating that program at what will become the Idaho National Laboratory, said he would not provide details of the fund-raising strategy until all details get Energy Department approval.

But, he said, "you can bring private industry into the lab in ways that don’t interfere with government work."

The cash to be raised by the Battelle Energy Alliance is critical since the department’s budget request for the next year is only $50 million higher than the INEEL and Argonne National Laboratory-West received for research operations this past year. The two laboratories are being combined under the new contract.

William Magwood, who runs the department’s nuclear energy, science and technology office, said Battelle is not only expected to generate additional cash, but "to bring that effort to a whole new level, especially on the national security side."

There are areas that can start bringing in research and technology funding from other federal agencies and industry right away, said Don McConnell, who oversees Battelle extensive laboratory operations.

"The trick of the trade in this lab is that it builds strong science and technology capabilities, which can then be applied, primarily to DOE, but not only," McConnell said. "I think private industry funding could triple over the life of the contract because I believe they will want to piggyback on federal funding."

A key alliance partner in that effort will be EPRI, formerly the Electric Power Research Institute that the power industry formed 30 years ago to improve its grid system. It operates a research and technology transfer center in Charlotte, N.C.

"EPRI will use the lab to extend their resources to include those available at the lab, and the lab will have access to industry approaches," senior technical manager Jack Lance said.

For example, the INEEL’s test reactor could be used for industry-funded experiments at the right price, Lance said, replacing reactors the institute has been using in Norway. The institute also has significant interest in INEEL programs to develop new nuclear fuels.

"We’ve set some specific, measurable objectives," Grossenbacher said.