A pair of microreactors are going to be getting cozy in the test bed at Idaho National Lab next year. The DOE picked Radiant and Westinghouse to provide the first machines to snuggle up.
The upcoming generation of advanced nuclear companies has been deep in R&D for years, and it’s getting antsy to finally start running its reactors. The DOE’s Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed is a new facility—repurposed from older testing infrastructure—that is meant to give advanced reactor companies the opportunity to run their fueled machines and gather valuable operational data.
The two reactors taking to the DOME first are:
- Radiant’s Kaleidos Development Unit, a 1.2 MW high-temperature gas reactor designed to fit in a shipping container and take the place of diesel generators.
- Westinghouse’s eVinci Nuclear Test Reactor, a 5 MW reactor designed for use on small sites.
Green light: The DOE announced that DOME was ready for action the day before announcing the first two companies going in. The agency issued a finding of no significant impact (on health or the environment, that is) for DOME on June 30.
“Today’s decision for the DOME test bed marks a significant milestone in our efforts to advance microreactor technology,” Brad Tomer, director of the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC), said in a release. “This initiative not only underscores our commitment to innovation and safety but also paves the way for groundbreaking advancements in the field.”
That go-ahead from the DOE will also allow other reactor companies to start planning for testing at INL. The DOE is in the midst of reviewing a round of applications for experiments, and it plans to open another round next summer.
Who’s up first? The DOME test bed is only able to host one of the two reactors at a time for up to six months of testing, which is expected to begin next spring.
The DOE hasn’t announced which company’s reactor will take the stage first, but one of the companies seems pretty confident. In a statement to employees, Radiant CEO Doug Bernauer said that “Radiant will go first into the DOME nine months from now, on April 1.” DOE hasn’t confirmed this timeline publicly.
As Radiant COO Tori Shivanandan put it, “we’ve got our shot on goal.”
Lead Reporter of Ignition
