|  | | Titans of Nuclear is a podcast featuring interviews with experts throughout the field of nuclear energy. Host Bret Kugelmass is a climate change thought leader & champion of nuclear energy. This episode features INL's Rita Baranwal.
| 5/7/2018 |
|  | | DOE has selected five U.S. companies to receive GAIN technology development vouchers in this first review cycle. The companies selected and the DOE contribution to the cost-shared vouchers are Terrestrial Energy, USA in New York, NY ($500,000); Vega Wave Systems, Inc. in West Chicago, IL ($130,000); Oklo, Inc. in Sunnyvale, CA ($417,000); Urbix Resources, LLC in Mesa, AZ ($320,000); and ThorCon US, Inc. in Stevenson, WA ($400,000). The DOE News Release is available at this link.
| 4/27/2018 |
|  | | The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) Regulatory Information Conference this year highlighted efforts to modernize the agency's processes and culture, NRC said recently. READ MORE
| 3/21/2018 |
|  | | Iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloys are candidates to be used as nuclear fuel cladding for increased accident tolerance. An analysis of the response of FeCrAl under normal operating and loss of coolant conditions has been performed using fuel performance modeling. In particular, recent information on FeCrAl material properties and phenomena from separate effects tests has been implemented in the BISON fuel performance code and analyses of integral fuel rod behavior with FeCrAl cladding have been performed. BISON simulations included both light water reactor normal operation and loss-of-coolant accidental transients. In order to model fuel rod behavior during accidents, a cladding failure criterion is desirable. For FeCrAl alloys, a failure criterion is developed using recent burst experiments under loss of coolant like conditions. The added material models are utilized to perform comparative studies with Zircaloy-4 under normal operating conditions and oxidizing and non-oxidizing out-of-pile loss of coolant conditions. The results indicate that for all conditions studied, FeCrAl behaves similarly to Zircaloy-4 with the exception of improved oxidation performance. Further experiments are required to confirm these observations. READ MORE
| 1/3/2018 |
|  | | IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – The Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) today announced the availability of fiscal year 2018 funds for vouchers to assist applicants developing advanced nuclear energy technologies who are seeking access to the world-class expertise and capabilities available across the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratory complex. The vouchers are provided by the DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy to support nuclear energy innovation. READ MORE
| 12/13/2017 |
| | | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry released a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) to support development of advanced nuclear energy technology. The Department of Energy (DOE) is soliciting proposals for cost-shared projects to develop innovative, industry-driven reactor designs and accompanying technologies with high potential to advance nuclear power in the United States. “Targeted early-stage investment in advanced nuclear technology will support a strong domestic industry now and into the future,” said Secretary Perry. “This funding opportunity is an important step to ensure our nation continues to benefit from this clean, resilient source of electricity.” DOE expects to make up to $30 million or more available in FY 2018 awards, subject to the availability of funding. The FOA will be open for a five-year period accepting applications on a year-round basis, with a quarterly selection process. Additional funding will be available in future years, as allocated by Congress. Through this competition, DOE encourages U.S. companies to partner with other U.S. federal agencies, public and private laboratories, institutions of higher education, and other domestic entities to share expertise needed to successfully develop these innovative technologies. This FOA is available at www.grants.gov under reference number DE-FOA-0001817. Initial applications are due January 31, 2018. DOE will conduct a webinar on January 9, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. EST for more information on this funding opportunity. You can register for the webinar here. A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document is also available at www.id.doe.gov.
ANNOUNCEMENT
FOA: DE-FOA-0001817
| 12/7/2017 |
|  | | Advanced nuclear technologies can propel the world toward our climate goals by providing affordable, zero-carbon electricity and heat; supporting the growth of renewable energy sources; and supplying clean energy for water. See More
| 12/6/2017 |
|  | | Idaho National Laboratory recently expanded its library of MOOSE-based, open-source modeling and simulation software with the MASTODON code. This code helps scientists and engineers design buildings and other structures to better withstand seismic events. Read More
| 10/26/2017 |
| | | This report provides a high-level review of potential technical, commercial, and natural components likely to influence the planning, preparing, and positioning for the future by investing in the build-out of energy systems at Idaho National Laboratory. Read More | 10/23/2017 |
|  | | ESSAI - Economic and Market Challenges Facing the U.S. Nuclear Commercial Fleet - Cost and Revenue Study Read More
| 10/20/2017 |
|  | | ARPA-E Provides up to $20 Million in Funding for Technologies to Enable Lower Cost, Safer Advanced Nuclear Plant Designs Read More
| 10/20/2017 |
|  | | DOE-NE has released the FY 2018 Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0001773). The infrastructure support program will be administered by the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program office. This FOA supports research reactor upgrades and general scientific infrastructure for universities only. Read More
| 10/20/2017 |
|  | | DOE-NE has released the FY 2018 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The FOA contains workscopes for NEUP, NEET, and NSUF research areas. Read More
| 10/19/2017 |
|  | | | 10/18/2017 |
|  | | Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Kemal Pasamehmetoglu for his leadership at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). For the past five and a half years, Dr. Pasamehmetoglu has served as the Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science & Technology at INL. Read More
| 9/25/2017 |
|  | | A new phase of post-irradiation examinations (PIE) of nuclear fuel has begun at Idaho National Laboratory's Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC). Read More
| 9/19/2017 |
|  | | Technology developers recognize an urgent need to commercialize innovative nuclear concepts to meet energy demands. The U.S. technology leadership role is essential to meeting the nation’s energy, environmental and national security needs; this role will be achieved by resolving technical, cost, proliferation resistance and security barriers through research and development.
| 9/13/2017 |
|  | | This second Department-wide round of funding through the Office of Technology Transition’s Technology Commercialization Fund will support 54 projects.
Read More
| 9/13/2017 |
|  | | On Aug. 8, John Bumgardner was honored with the Energy Innovator Award by the Partnership for Science and Technology (PST) for his innovative efforts in driving the TREAT restart effort and work on the new Fast Reactor program. The award ceremony was part of the Intermountain Energy Summit. Read More
| 8/31/2017 |
|  | | Despite the forces of nature and in spite of the opportunistic efforts of professional opponents, a large nuclear power station located in the middle of Hurricane Harvey's devastation continues to steadily produce 100% of its rated power output.
Read More
| 8/31/2017 |
| | | With two patents and two R&D 100 awards to its name, Idaho National Laboratory's Change Detection System (CDS) would appear to be a shoo-in for commercialization. Embraced throughout the U.S. government, CDS is diagnostic software that can align two seemingly identical images and enable a person to see even the tiniest variations. Read More
| 8/28/2017 |
| | | The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy has released draft workscopes for the FY 2018 CINR FOA webinar. DOE-NE anticipates discussing FY 2018 NEUP R&D, NEUP IRP, NEET, and applicable NSUF workscopes. New aspects of DOE-NE's consolidated FOAs will also be discussed. When: August 8-10, 2017 Webinar Schedule Draft Workscopes Click HERE to Register for the FY 2018 Webinar
| 8/2/2017 |
|  | | Today, the DOE has selected five university, five national laboratory, and five industry-led projects that will take advantage of NSUF capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications. DOE will support 6 of these projects with a total of $2.3 million in research funds, and all 14 of these projects will be supported by over $10 million in facility access costs and expertise for experimental neutron and ion irradiation testing, post-irradiation examination facilities, synchrotron beamline capabilities, and technical assistance for design and analysis of experiments through the NSUF. Read More
| 8/2/2017 |
| | | The Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) announced today that 14 businesses will be provided nuclear energy vouchers worth approximately $4.2 million to accelerate the innovation and application of advanced nuclear technologies. Read more | 6/26/2017 |
|  | | Individuals and organizations interested in the GAIN initiative should be aware that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public comment on a proposed rulemaking concerning the Emergency Planning Zones required around Small Modular Reactors and advanced reactors (referred to in NRC's documentation as Other New Technologies). The proposed rule acknowledges that the one-size fits all approach for older plants do not reflect the increased safety and reduced potential impact zones of newer designs. The comment period runs through June 27. Rulemaking Comments Link
| 6/21/2017 |
| | | The "Nuclear Power Reactor Testing Needs and Prototype Plants for Advanced Reactor Designs" document describes the relevant regulations governing the testing requirements for advanced reactors, describes the process for determining testing needs to meet the NRC’s regulatory requirements, clarifies when a prototype plant might be needed and how it might differ from the proposed standard plant design, and describes licensing strategies and options that include the use of a prototype plant to meet the NRC’s testing requirements. Access document here. | 6/19/2017 |
|  | | The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding over $66 million in nuclear energy research, facility access, crosscutting technology development, and infrastructure awards in 28 states. In total, 86 projects were selected to receive funding that will help advance innovative nuclear technologies. These awards provide funding for nuclear energy-related research through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF), and Nuclear Energy Enabling Technology programs. a number of nuclear technology developers will receive access to unique research capabilities and other assistance consistent with the goals and objectives of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative.
| 6/14/2017 |
|  | | LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry on Wednesday vowed to advocate for nuclear power as the nation looks for ways to fuel its economy and limit the effects of electricity generation on the environment.
Perry made the comments during a visit to Los Alamos National Laboratory in northern New Mexico, where nuclear research has been among the main focuses since the lab's founding years during World War II. Los Alamos played a key role in the top-secret Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bomb. Read More
| 5/11/2017 |
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Idaho Falls Post-Register
When the U.S. Department of Energy granted a site use permit in February 2016 to build a small modular reactor at Idaho National Laboratory’s desert site, NuScale Power’s design was the only one in the pipeline.
Since then, 18 other reactor design groups have expressed interest in building at the desert site. READ MORE
| 5/5/2017 |
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U.S. Department of Energy's Nuclear Science User Facilities Awards 30 Rapid Turnaround Experiment Research Proposals
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 30 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling up to approximately $1.2 million. These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy. Read More
| 4/25/2017 |