*View funding opportunity for SBIR/STTR grants

*Click here for information about the Molten Salt Reactor Technology Information List

*The Department of Energy has issued an amendment (00003) for the Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). A copy of the amended FOA is available here.

*Click below to learn about The New Fire, a film about advanced nuclear by David Schumacher. Check out the project with interviews with nuclear leaders and innovators from INL and many of our partners across the industry.

Current Reports: 

Growing attention is being directed towards nuclear power plant economics, with the distinct likelihood of shuttering currently operating plants in the not-to-distant future. The Department of Energy is leading efforts to characterize and understand the causes of the economic challenges, and devise real-world solutions assuring clean and reliable energy from nuclear power is available for the American public. Two recent reports (linked below) prepared for the Department highlight and address these challenges. The first report, Summit on Improving the Economics of America's Nuclear Power Plants, represents a summary of the engaging dialog occurring at the May 19, 2016 Summit on Improving the Economics of America’s Nuclear Power Plants. A second report, Economic and Market Challenges Facing the U.S. Nuclear Commercial Fleet, released in September 2016 provides detailed analyses quantifying the gap between revenue from electricity production and the costs of operating and maintaining nuclear power plants. These reports may be useful to those interested in working to retain the clean energy source of nuclear power.

Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN)

The mission of the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) is to advance nuclear power as a resource capable of meeting the nation's energy, environmental and national security needs by resolving technical, cost, safety, proliferation resistance, and security barriers through research, development and demonstration ﴾RD&D﴿.

Accomplishing this mission will realize the enormous potential of nuclear energy and maintain the United States' historic leadership in the field. While many innovative ideas exist, the research, development and demonstration ﴾RD&D﴿ needed to bring these concepts to a commercial readiness level is traditionally lengthy and expensive.

Therefore, DOE-NE has established the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) to provide the nuclear community with access to the technical, regulatory, and financial support necessary to move innovative nuclear energy technologies toward commercialization while ensuring the continued safe, reliable, and economic operation of the existing nuclear fleet.

Why is GAIN needed?

The facilities needed to conduct the necessary RD&D activities are very expensive to develop and maintain.
Capabilities (e.g., facilities, expertise, materials, and data) at government sites have not been easily accessible by the entities trying to commercialize creative systems and components.
Technology readiness levels vary – requiring differing research and funding opportunities.
Many technology developers require assistance working through the regulatory process for new nuclear technologies.
Strong engagement between federal agencies, the research community, and technology developers is required to reach commercialization.

What is GAIN?

GAIN provides the nuclear community with a single point of access to the broad range of capabilities -- people, facilities, materials, and data -- across the DOE complex and its National Lab capabilities.
Focused research opportunities and dedicated industry engagement are important components of GAIN, ensuring that DOE-sponsored activities are impactful to companies working to realize the full potential of nuclear.
GAIN expands upon DOE's work with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to assist technology developers through the regulatory process.
GAIN integrates and facilitates efforts by private industry, universities and government research institutions to test, develop and demonstrate advanced nuclear technologies to accelerate the licensing and commercialization of these systems.