[6][7] The reactor core was designed to contain 198 hexagonal fuel assemblies, arranged to form a cylindrical geometry with two enrichment zones.

[7] The primary (green) and secondary (gold) control rod systems would have provided overall plant shutdown reliability.

In 1971 U.S. President Richard Nixon established this technology as the nation’s highest priority research and development effort.

However, the Clinch River project was controversial from the start, and economic and political considerations eventually led to its demise.

[10][12] A Congressional committee investigation released in 1981 found evidence of contracting abuse, including bribery and fraud, that added to project costs.

[12] Before it was finally canceled in 1983, the General Accounting Office of Congress estimated the total project cost at $8 billion.

Because of international concern about proliferation, in April 1977 President Jimmy Carter called for an indefinite deferral of construction of commercial breeder reactors.

In November 1977, in a statement explaining his veto of a bill to authorize funding for the continuation of the project, Carter said it would be "large and unnecessarily expensive" and "when completed, would be technically obsolete and economically unsound."

Instead of investing public resources in the breeder demonstration project, he urged attention to improving the safety of existing nuclear technology.

In spite of growing opposition from Congress and analysts inside and outside the government, ground was broken and construction began.