DOE awards $60 mln to support innovative nuclear R&D projects

U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry recently announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected 13 advanced nuclear technology projects to receive approximately $60 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development.

These selections are the first under DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy’s U.S. Industry Opportunities for Advanced Nuclear Technology Development funding opportunity announcement (FOA). Subsequent quarterly application review and selection processes will occur over the next five years. DOE plans to provide up to $40 million of additional fiscal year (FY) 2018 funding during the next two quarterly award cycles for proposals under the FOA.

“Promoting early-stage investment in advanced nuclear power technology will support a strong, domestic, nuclear energy industry now and into the future,” Secretary Perry said. “Making these new investments is an important step to reviving and revitalizing nuclear energy, and ensuring that our nation continues to benefit from this clean, reliable, resilient source of electricity. Supporting existing as well as advanced reactor development will pave the way to a safer, more efficient, and clean baseload energy that supports the U.S. economy and energy independence.”

The FOA includes three funding pathways: the First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) Nuclear Demonstration Readiness Project pathway, the Advanced Reactor Development Projects pathway and Regulatory Assistance Grants. DOE will also announce cost-shared technical voucher awards to U.S. companies selected under the Department’s Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative.

The announcement including two Nuclear Demonstration Readiness Project pathway projects, which address significant advanced reactor design development projects or complex technology advancements for existing plants that have substantial technical and licensing risk and have the potential to be deployed by the mid-to-late 2020s.

It also includes four Advanced Reactor Development Projects, which involve concepts and ideas that could improve the capabilities and commercialization potential of advanced reactor designs and technologies.

Two projects were selected under the Regulatory Assistance Grants pathway, which provides direct support for resolving design regulatory issues, regulatory review of licensing topical reports or papers and other efforts addressing obtaining certification and licensing approvals for advanced reactor designs and capabilities.

DOE also selected five U.S. companies to receive GAIN technology development vouchers in the first review cycle.