For the Department of Energy as a whole, the President requests an increase of $1.4 billion over his FY 2003 request, of which approximately $1 billion would go to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) which funds the U.S. nuclear weapons related programs. The NNSA also funds the major portions of the effort on inertial confinement fusion, including the construction of the laser-based National Ignition Facility (NIF). For inertial confinement fusion DOE/NNSA requests $467 million (including $150 million for NIF construction), an increase of $14 million from the FY 2003 request. As in the past, DOE requested no funds for the congressionally-mandated High Average Power Laser program, which has been running at approximately $25 million per year for the past several years.

The DOE Office of Science, of which the civilian fusion energy sciences program is a part, would remain essentially at the FY 2003 level of $3.3 billion. The Office of Fusion Energy Sciences budget would also remain at the FY 2003 requested level of $257 million. The budget narrative, however, indicates that within the $257 million, $12 million would be redirected to support ITER.

With respect to fusion energy, the budget document states:

"The President directed DOE to enter negotiations with international parties -- the European Union, Japan, Canada, and Russia-aimed at building the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). ITER is the essential next milestone on the path towards developing fusion as a commercially viable energy source. Fusion is the process that powers the sun and despite many major technical challenges, it has the potential to be an abundant, safe, and clean energy source. Recent leaps in the scientific understanding of fusion have led many scientific experts, including the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, to recommend construction of the ITER project in order to know whether fusion can produce energy. The President's decision to enter negotiations to build ITER will position the United States as a vital partner in this international experiment. The DOE budget includes $12 million to support the President's commitment."

The budget document also states, "The fusion energy sciences program for 2004 continues to implement the recommendations of the reports by the National Research Council, the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board and recommendations of the Fusion Energy Science Advisory committee. The mission of the program is to advance plasma science, fusion science, and fusion technology. The program emphasizes the underlying basic research in plasma and fusion sciences, with the long-term goal of harnessing fusion as a viable energy source. The program centers on the following goals: understanding the physics of plasmas; identification and exploration of innovative and cost effective development paths to fusion energy; and exploration of the science and technology of energy producing plasmas, as a partner in an international effort. The budget includes funds for the Department to enter multilateral international negotiations aimed at building the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a burning plasma physics experiment that is an essential next step toward eventually developing fusion as a commercially viable energy source. The budget request provides for support of basic research in plasma science in partnership with NSF, plasma containment research, and investigation of tokamak alternatives, along with continued operation of DIII-D, Alcator C-Mod, and the National Spherical Torus Experiment. Research on alternate concepts is continued to develop a fuller understanding of the physics of magnetically confined plasma and to identify approaches that may improve the economical and environmental attractiveness of fusion. Fabrication of the new National Compact Stellarator experiment will continue at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The inertial fusion energy activity is exploring an alternative path for fusion energy that would capitalize on the major R&D effort in inertial confinement fusion which is carried out by NNSA for stockpile stewardship purposes. Theory and modeling efforts will be supported to develop a predictive capability for the operation of fusion experiments. Enabling technology research will also be conducted in support of the science experiments."

The budget detail for the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences proposes (figures are rounded):

> Increase funding for NSTX at PPPL by $2.3 M
> Increase funding for General Plasma Science by $1 M
> Increase funding for Theory by $1 M
> Increase funding for DIII-D at General Atomics by $1 M
> Increase funding for Alcator C-Mod at MIT by $0.5 M
> Increase funding for fabrication of NCSX at PPPL by $4.9 M
> Increase funding for Plasma Technologies by $1.9 M
> Decrease funding for Heavy Ion Fusion at LBNL by $0.5 M
> Decrease Fusion Technology and Advanced Design by $12.1 M from $16.4 M to $3.3

DOE says that the $12 million they have designated at ITER-related work consists of the following:

DIII-D operations: $5 M
Alcator C-Mod operations: $2 M
Theory and Computation: $3 M
ITER Preparations: $2 M

The complete DOE budget request is posted at http://www.mbe.doe.gov/budget