Biden Administration to Implement $150 Million Program to Advance Nuclear Technologies

The U.S. Energy Department on Oct. 25 announced $150 million in funding made available through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, for projects focused on research and development to advance nuclear energy technologies and infrastructure improvements at the Idaho National Laboratory. The initiative is expected to be a key driver in supporting various projects at the laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor, or ATR, and Materials Fuels Complex, or MFC, both of which have been operational for the last fifty years and play significant roles for federal agencies, industry, and international partnerships.

The funding will support almost a dozen projects designed to advance next-generation nuclear fuels and reactor technologies that are key to achieve the nation’s climate goals. The Biden administration has set a target to achieve 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035. Nuclear energy contributes nearly 20 percent of the electricity produced in the U.S. and shares 50 percent of clean energy generation in the country.

ATR leads in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear propulsion research program and offers industrial fuels and materials testing services, while MFC leads in reactor fuels research, and majorly the research is focused on producing high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel. The funding opportunity will help address the aging infrastructure problems of both ATR and MFC facilities that will ensure active status of both the assets. The infrastructure improvement project will take up to five years to complete.

Major projects under the funding opportunity include enhancement to water and electrical distribution systems, and process control systems, as well as roof replacement to improve research facility life cycle.

The U.S. nuclear energy sector is on the verge of a revival after years of premature plant closures and dim forecasts. The IRA, enacted in August, adds a new thrust to the nuclear power industry that includes investments and tax incentives. The production tax credit created by the IRA, along with the Civil Nuclear Credit program established by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will help sustain the existing nuclear fleet.