Did you notice that the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2019 – signed into law on August 13 – only “authorizes” $220 million for MOX construction and includes language allowing the Secretary of Energy to “waive” spending money on construction of the failed project?
Even if the appropriators allocated $220 million to MOX construction, that means a large numbers of workers laid off, a massive slowdown in construction and rework and no ability to finish the facility at that level of funding (far below the current $335 million). Meanwhile, the appropriators are leaning towards $0 for MOX construction and $220 million for project termination.
See “Sec. 3119. Use of funds for construction and project support activities relating to MOX facility” for “waiver” language and page 784 pdf for the $220 million figure for “nonproliferation construction.”
NDAA for FY 2019 posted here:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-115hr5515enr/pdf/BILLS-115hr5515enr.pdf