The DOE intends to solicit applications for two cost-shared awards to demonstrate advanced reactor designs within five to seven years of the award. Two to five smaller awards will address the technical risks of other advanced designs. According to the RFI, the primary objective of the new program is to focus DOE and nonfederal resources on the actual construction and operational readiness of the selected demonstrations.
A demonstration project can be an advanced reactor operated for power generation or other commercial applications. For the purpose of the ARD program, an advanced reactor is defined as any light-water or non–light-water fission reactor with significant improvements compared to the current generation of operational reactors, such as inherent safety features, lower waste yields, greater fuel utilization, superior reliability, resistance to proliferation, increased thermal efficiency, and the ability to integrate into electric and nonelectric applications.
According to the RFI, the total first-year DOE funding for each demonstration award will be approximately $80 million, with future-year funding dependent on the selected project requirements and congressional appropriations, and a cost share of not less than 50 percent from nonfederal sources will be required. Between two and five applicants representing diverse reactor designs not selected for a demonstration award may receive a risk reduction award to increase the technological maturity of the designs. The total value of these awards from the DOE will be $30 million for year one, the RFI states, and a cost share of not less than 20 percent will be required.
Visit <www.energy.gov/ne/articles/industry-feedback-needed-new-advanced-reactor-demonstration-program> for more information and a link to the RFI/NOI.
