The Department of Energy’s Spallation Neutron Source Project: Description and Issues

Abstract:

This CRS report focuses on the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), a new Department of Energy-funded research facility, which is scheduled for construction at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in eastern Tennessee. The facility is intended to generate and use pulsed neutron beams to study the structural properties of a wide range of materials. The report describes the SNS’s management, project costs, schedule, site selection, and funding, and discusses issues raised by some congressional critics of the project, such as management problems, potential cost overruns, and schedule delays. Technical information about the project as well as excerpts from relevant legislation are appended. The report will be updated as appropriate.