82d Congress JOINT COMMITTEE PRINT 2d Session JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY 25784 ATOMIC POWER AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE DECEMBER 1952 Printed for the use of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1952 MATH-STAT. JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY RICHARD B. RUSSELL, Georgia CHET HOLIFIELD, California JAMES E. VAN ZANDT, Pennsylvania WILLIAM L. BORDEN, Executive Director II ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION, 1901 Constitution Avenue, Washington, D. C. (Attention: Mr. Gordon Dean, Chairman.) GENTLEMEN: As you know, the Joint Committee, on October 19 of last year, reported to the Congress in part as follows: "The Committee is keenly interested in the current study program involving eight private industrial firms. These are exploring the possibility of offering to build reactors wholly or partly at their own expense, with the dual purpose of producing power for sale to the public and plutonium for sale to the government. It is recommended that the complex factors entering into such a possibility be brought rapidly to a point of crystallization, so that they may be properly evaluated and judged." The purpose of this letter is, first, to advise that I shall recommend to the Joint Committee that it hold a series of meetings on "industrial participation" early during the next session of Congress; and, second, to request a written statement of the Commission's policy views in this area as soon as feasible. Thank you for your cooperation. UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Washington 25, D. C. SEPTEMBER 4, 1952. Honorable CARL T. DURHAM, Chairman, Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. DURHAM: This will acknowledge receipt of your letter of August 19th advising the Atomic Energy Commission that you intend to recommend to the Joint Committee that it hold a series of meetings on "industrial participation" early during the next session of Congress, and requesting a written statement of the Commission's policy views in this area as soon as feasible. The problems of the Industrial Participation Program are being studied in a series of Commission meetings now under way, and Commission policy in this field should be crystallized to the point where profitable discussions with the Joint Committee are possible by the first of the year. We would suggest that our policy report to the Committee be made at that time. Sincerely yours, UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION The following material bearing upon atomic power problems was compiled by the Committee staff at the request of the Chairman for the use of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. All statements have been meticulously screened so as to include unclassified and publishable information only. CONTENTS Page iii 4. Who should own atomic power plants and development facilities 5. How should atomic power development be financed?. 46. What is the public interest in atomic power development?_. 7. What are the defense aspects of atomic power development?_ 8. What is the effect of the patent situation on atomic power develop- 9. What are the secrecy and safety problems in atomic power devel- APPENDIXES Appendix A.-Two Concrete Proposals: 1. Proposal by Dr. George L. Weil for Design, Construction, and 2. Proposal Presented by Murray Joslin for Commonwealth Edison Appendix B.-Four Commissioners' Speeches: 1. "The Atom in National Defense"-a speech by AEC Chairman 3. "Present and Future Activities of the United States Atomic Energy Commission as They Affect Mining”—Speech by AEC Commis- sioner Henry Smyth before the American Mining Congress on 4. "Industry's Next Step in Atomic Energy"-Speech by T. Keith Appendix C.-Seven Speeches and Articles by Dr. L. R. Hafstad, Director |