The purpose of this strategic plan is to establish a framework that will allow the Department of Energy (DOE) and the nuclear power industry to jointly plan the nuclear energy research and development (R & D) agenda important to achieving the Nation's energy goals. This strategic plan has been developed to focus on only those R & D areas that will benefit from a coordinated government/industry effort. Specifically, this plan focuses on safely sustaining and expanding the electricity output from currently operating nuclear power plants and expanding nuclear capacity through the deployment of new plants. By focusing on R & D that addresses the needs of both current and future nuclear plants, DOE and industry will be able to take advantage of the synergism between these two technology areas, thus improving coordination, enhancing efficiency, and further leveraging public and private sector resources. By working together under the framework of this strategic plan, DOE and the nuclear industry reinforce their joint commitment to the future use of nuclear power and the National Energy Policy's goal of expanding its use in the United States. The undersigned believe that a public-private partnership approach is the most efficient and effective way to develop and transfer new technologies to the marketplace to achieve this goal. This Strategic Plan is intended to be a living document that will be updated annually.