Status of the Fermilab Energy Doubler/Saver Project

The possibility of building a ring of superconducting magnets was considered very early in the design of the Fermilab main accelerator. It was concluded that the technology of superconducting magnets was not at that time, sufficiently advanced. Therefore, the main ring was designed and built with conventional magnets. However, space was left in the main-ring tunnel for a future ring of superconducting magnets. The Energy Doubler/Saver (ED/S) was initiated in 1972 as a project to build a ring of superconducting magnets with the objective of dramatically increasing the research potential of the Fermilab accelerators. This was to be accomplished at a moderate cost and in such a manner as to make possible a significant saving of electrical energy. This paper will describe the evolution of this program as well as give a status report of the ED/S research and development program.