Funding supports 16 projects to advance safety and licensing of HALEU for nuclear reactors.

Capitalizing on the now unlocked $2.7 billion to secure a domestic nuclear fuel supply, DOE has awarded $17 million to 16 projects aimed at criticality benchmarking for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). These projects, essential for advancing next-generation nuclear reactors, will provide the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) with the data needed to accelerate HALEU licensing and regulation, a key step in ensuring the U.S. can deploy advanced nuclear technologies as part of its broader energy strategy.

The U.S. government's recent push to establish a domestic nuclear fuel supply, driven by the Energy Act of 2020 and further bolstered by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, reflects a broader strategy to secure the nation's energy future.

Historically, nuclear energy has faced public skepticism due to concerns about safety, waste, and association with weaponry. However, the transition to advanced nuclear reactors – powered by HALEU – promises safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly energy solutions.

HALEU, enriched to levels between 5% and 20% uranium-235, is crucial for next-generation reactors that offer smaller designs, longer operating cycles, and enhanced efficiency compared to traditional reactors.

Yet, the U.S. lacks a domestic supply chain for HALEU, which until recently was primarily sourced from Russia. This reliance has posed risks to national security and energy independence, especially in the wake of geopolitical tensions.

Recognizing these challenges, DOE launched the HALEU Availability Program, investing $700 million to jumpstart domestic HALEU production and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.

This need became even more urgent after the U.S. imposed restrictions on uranium imports from Russia in response to escalating geopolitical tensions. Until recently, Russia was a major supplier of HALEU, and this ban highlighted the critical need for a domestic supply chain to support the nation's advanced nuclear reactor programs.

This program also aligns with the nation's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and ensuring energy security through a diversified and reliable fuel supply.

The $17 million in funding for criticality benchmarking projects represents a critical step in this broader effort. These projects will provide the data needed for NRC to license and regulate HALEU, ensuring that the infrastructure is in place to support the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.

By addressing data gaps and developing new safety protocols, these initiatives aim to make HALEU a viable option for powering the next generation of nuclear reactors, reinforcing the U.S.'s leadership in clean energy innovation.

"Many advanced reactor developers require HALEU to achieve smaller designs, longer operating cycles, and increased efficiencies over existing technologies," said Acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Michael Goff. "The data collected from these projects will support efforts to ensure HALEU infrastructure is licensed and regulated in time for reactor demonstrations and deployments."

Projects for safety and licensing

To address the critical gaps in nuclear data and enhance the safety and licensing process for HALEU, the DOE has selected 16 projects spanning five key research areas. These projects are led by national laboratories, universities, and industry partners, focusing on different aspects of HALEU's application and safety.

UF6 Transportation with Moderator Exclusion

This area focuses on validating transportation safety for uranium hexafluoride (UF6), particularly for TRISO (TRi-structrual ISOtropic) HALEU fuel systems where moderator exclusion is crucial to prevent criticality incidents during transportation.

• TRISO HALEU Fuel Validation: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), in partnership with BWXT, Kairos, X-Energy, Radiant, and University of Michigan.

• Historical Y-12 Experiments Benchmarking: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), CS Engineering, and University of Tennessee.

10-20% Enrichment Gap

Addressing the need for critical experiments and data in the 10-20% uranium enrichment range, this research area will enhance the validation of HALEU fuel, crucial for advanced reactor designs.

• IPEN/MB-01 Reactor Experiments: ORNL, in partnership with Vernova and IPEN.

• HALEU Water Moderated Fuel Rod Experiment: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), in partnership with Orano.

• Missouri S&T Reactor Validation: ORNL, in partnership with Missouri S&T.

Non-fissile Material Validation

Projects in this area focus on validating non-fissile materials, which are essential for ensuring the structural integrity and safety of nuclear fuel assemblies under various conditions.

• RPI Reactor Critical Experiments: ORNL, in partnership with INL and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).

• ZED-2 Reactor Absorber Measurements: ORNL, in partnership with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories.

Fissile Salts

This research area supports the development of nuclear data and experiments needed to validate the safety and efficiency of molten salt reactors, particularly those using HALEU.

• Chlorine Experiments for Molten Salt Reactors: LLNL, in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and TerraPower.

Advanced Moderator Nuclear Data

Focusing on gathering and validating nuclear data for advanced neutron moderators, these projects will improve safety margins and support the broader deployment of advanced nuclear reactors.

• Advanced Moderator Temperature Measurements: ORNL, in partnership with X-Energy.

• High-Temperature Graphite Scattering Validation: ORNL, in partnership with Yarmouk University.

• PETALE Benchmarking: LLNL, in partnership with École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and University of California-Berkeley.

• eDeimos Experiments for New HALEU Benchmarks: LANL, in partnership with Westinghouse.

Additional Projects

• SLOWPOKE-2 Reactor Evaluation: ORNL, in partnership with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories.

• ISU's AGN-201 Reactor Characterization: ORNL, in partnership with GE Vernova and Idaho State University.

• RCF Facility Critical Experiments: ORNL, in partnership with INL and RPI.

• Critical Experiments on Moderation Conditions: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), in partnership with SNL and ORNL.

As the U.S. pushes to reestablish its nuclear leadership and reduce reliance on foreign uranium, these projects are a crucial step toward ensuring a robust, safe, and self-sufficient HALEU supply chain. By addressing critical data gaps and supporting the licensing process, the DOE's initiative is poised to accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors, a key component in meeting the nation's energy and climate goals.