Energy/power: The fast-breeder reactor: When, where, why, and hew? An LMFBR plant will be built and the HTGR is under study; The factors involved are efficiency and safety

Caught in the vise of a tightening fuel and energy crunch - program for nuclear power generation. But the nation could be in a bind, as far as fissile materials are concerned, within the next 20 to 30 years. Although experts differ widely on this matter, there is a body of authoritative opinion that contends that reserves of natural uranium ores will be greatly depleted in the 1985-95 time frame, unless fast-breeder reactors, which produce more fuel than they consume, become operational. They refer to President Nixon's statement made back in April 1971: “Our best hope for meeting the nation's demand for clean energy lies with the fast breeder reactor.” At that time, Mr. Nixon gave the nod to a program to build a commercially viable FBR by 1980.