The Department of Energy has asked Congress for enough money to ease the current budget crunch at the Fast Flux Test Facility and keep a possible restart viable.

But it won't be enough to prevent an estimated delay of about a year in either restarting or shutting down the reactor, whichever DOE decides.

DOE requested an additional $11.7 million for the Hanford reactor this year, which Congress is expected to approve. That will prevent further staff cuts at the reactor,but will not allow the 24 employees already moved to other Hanford jobs to be rehired.

Those employees, about 9 percent of the reactor's staff, were moved to other jobs in October, the first month of the 2000 fiscal budget.

The $11.7 million would have brought the FFTF's budget to about the same level as the past year, except it also must cover an environmental study on whether the reactor should be restarted or dismantled. That study will cost about $4 million.

"We are pleased that it reflects DOE's commitment to go forward with an (environmental study)," said Cynthia Bergman, spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash. "However, Gorton has concerns since the funding level assumes a staffing reduction of 24 people."

"It's great news as compared to the alternative," said Al Farabee, DOE's project manager for FFTF.

DOE could have asked for just enough money to keep FFTF in what it considers the "minimum safe" condition. That would have delayed a restart or dismantling for two years.

"This keeps the staff we have above the 'min' safe (level) and allows us to do a significant amount of preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance," Farabee said.

U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., who was in the Tri-Cities on Friday, called the additional budget request "good news for our community."

"There's a slight shortfall," he said. But "it's safe to say there will be no jobs that will be affected beyond what has (already) happened."

DOE expects to decide FFTF's future by the end of 2000. Supporters of the reactor want it restarted for a variety of civilian missions, including research and making isotopes for deep space flights, industry and new medicines to treat cancer and heart disease.

However, DOE instead could decide to drain the sodium from the reactor's cooling system and permanently shut it down.

Last year, FFTF had a budget of about $40 million, some of that from an additional budget or reprogramming request. For 2000, Congress initially appropriated $28 million. That was short of the $32 million needed to employ 190 people and keep the reactor in a minimum-safe condition.

To maintain FFTF in its current condition, proceed with work and perform the federal environmental study on its future would require the initial 2000 budget to be increased from $28 million to about $44 million.

Since the full $16 million needed will not be available, FFTF employees may not be able to do upgrades on equipment that must be completed whatever DOE decides to do with the reactor.

Those upgrades include work on two large pieces of equipment used to move fuel. If DOE decides on a restart, the equipment would be used to move fuel assemblies to put in the reactor. If it's shut down, the equipment would be used to move fuel assemblies so sodium can be washed out and they can be put in storage casks.

FFTF also needs work on its sodium removal system, which will be delayed. The system will be needed sooner if a shutdown is ordered than if DOE calls for a restart.

Gorton, Hastings, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., all pressed DOE for the reprogramming request.

Now it must be signed next week by key members of the House and Senate energy appropriations subcommittees.

The additional money has been shifted from other DOE programs. It includes $2.7 million from DOE's Energy Supply budget, including its programs for advanced radioisotope power systems, isotope support and civilian research and development programs.

DOE identified those sources because "they may benefit significantly form FFTF's irradiation capabilities if a decision is made to restart the FFTF" according to a DOE statement sent to Congressional leaders.

Most of the money, $9 million, will come from money that was in the DOE's Environmental Management program that had been requested for overhead at various laboratories. However, Congress prohibited the money from being spent at the laboratories, so part of it will be used for the FFTF. According to a letter from DOE to Congress, "These funds can be made available without negative impact on the department's planned (Environmental Management) program.