7 Companies will Receive US Economic Support to Accelerate the Development of Innovative Nuclear Technologies

Seven companies have been identified in the USA that will receive vouchers to accelerate innovation and use of advanced nuclear technologies in the framework of the Program “Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear” (GAIN):

1. Westinghouse Electric Company will collaborate with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to perform irradiation testing and associated post-irradiation examination on a ceramic matrix composite for potential use in its eVinci microreactor.
2. SHINE Technologies, in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory, will evaluate sensor technologies and their placement in the fuel recycling system to ensure proper tracking of nuclear materials.
3. Global Nuclear Fuels – Americas will partner with Argonne National Laboratory to confirm the viability of their electroreduction technology to convert uranium oxide fuel stock into a metal that can be used for advanced reactor fuel.
4. Aalo Atomics will collaborate with the Idaho National Laboratory to evaluate modeling and simulation capabilities for the Aalo-1 reactor fuel and core system.
5. Energy Northwest will work with Argonne National Laboratory to use climate forecasting for the next century to inform the design and selection of future nuclear reactor cooling systems and their impacts on electricity cost.
6. ARC Clean Technology will work with Argonne National Laboratory to update its simulation software with additional passive heat removal capabilities to better model its sodium-cooled reactor design.
7. Boston Atomics will collaborate with Oak Ridge National Laboratory on a design review of an in-vessel fuel handling machine for a horizontally oriented integrated reactor and steam generator.

It should be noted that the Program for acceleration of innovations in nuclear energy (GAIN – Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear) is an initiative launched in 2016 by the Office of Nuclear Energy of the US Department of Energy, which helps businesses overcome critical technological and commercial challenges in the field of nuclear energy technologies through a voucher system. Voucher recipients do not receive direct financial rewards. Instead, the vouchers provide funding to the Ministry’s laboratories.

The federally funded vouchers are designed to accelerate innovation and the adoption of advanced nuclear technologies by providing companies with access to the extensive nuclear research and expertise capabilities of the US Department of Energy’s complex of national laboratories.

To participate in the Program, applications can be submitted in the following areas:

• analysis and evaluation of advanced concepts for reactors and related designs, including development of licensing technical requirements or regulatory strategies based on research and development results;
• development, testing and qualification of structural materials and components;
• development, manufacture and testing of advanced nuclear fuel (including fuel materials and cladding);
• development, testing and qualification of control and measuring devices, control tools and sensor technologies that are resistant to harsh operating conditions and protected from cyber interference;
• modeling and simulation, high-performance computing, codes and methods;
• technical assistance from subject matter experts and/or data/information to support technology development and/or confirm key technical or licensing issues.