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Money is much more of a problem. The Government has underwritten research and development to date, and Congress will insist that it be reimbursed for its past expenses. Thus private companies will probably be charged a 3% royalty on sales for use of the still highly classified technology. What bothers some Congressmen much more is defining how far the Government should guarantee a private company's investment in enrichment plants. Says Joint Atomic Energy Committee Chairman Senator John Pastore: "If private enterprise comes in, private enterprise has to share the risk." Exactly how much risk private companies will finally assume must be worked out by the Administration and Congress.
* Natural uranium comes out of the ground with a .7% content of U-235, an easily fissionable material. Enrichment for fuel involves increasing the proportion of U-235 to about 3%; for nuclear weapons, the material must be enriched to 90% or more.