Public-Private Partnerships for 3S Applied in Advanced Nuclear Reactors

In the United States, several vendors are developing advanced nuclear reactors. While each of these vendor's technical designs vary significantly, each will have to comply with domestic and international regulations and requirements for safety, security, and safeguards (the 3S's) to be viable for deployment. Many advanced reactor vendors have limited resources to devote to these areas as they move through the design phases, electing instead to drive their technical elements forward. The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has recognized the need to allocate financial and technical resources to help vendors address these issues early in the design phase. Through public-private partnerships, vendors are provided opportunities for directed funding or engagements with technical experts within the DOE national laboratory complex to address 3S design considerations. While these programs have different requirements and implementation mechanisms, the driving motive is to prepare US advanced reactor vendors to be competitive in a global supply market with designs that meet requirements for safe operations, secure facilities, and international nonproliferation. This panel will address public-private partnerships, the opportunities available, and lessons learned across several DOE programs. The session will include overviews from three DOE programs available to advanced reactor vendors and representatives from specific vendors that have participated in these programs to provide their experiences. Discussion will center around the benefits of the programs, success stories from past engagements, and opportunities for improvement.