Research & Applications

On June 3, Brandon Williams, administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, was at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to break ground on the Advanced Testbed and Operations Learning Laboratory (ATOLL).

The planned 21,000-square-foot facility, which is scheduled to be completed in mid-2028, will play an important role in the development of workforce expertise and capabilities aimed at monitoring foreign weapons-grade uranium production activities.

Maritime classification and certification organization the American Bureau of Shipping has granted its approval in principle (AIP) for the integration of a nuclear reactor into a cargo vessel propulsion system, as developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Maritime Consortium. This is the first AIP to be granted to a technology developed through the consortium, which includes founding members MIT, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, and Capital Maritime Group.

On June 1 at the American Nuclear Society’s Annual Conference in Denver, Colo., a team from Idaho National Laboratory presented a session titled “Lessons Learned from MARVEL Reactor Fabrication.” The presentation highlighted challenges that arose as they moved from design to manufacturing and assembly, with a focus on reactor part fabrication, Stirling engine implementation, and reactivity control system development.

Scientists at Idaho National Laboratory have discovered that plutonium hexaboride (PuB₆) displays a type of unusual quantum property called a topological Kondo insulating state. Materials with this property are neither typical electricity conductors nor regular insulators. Rather, they have exterior surfaces that strongly conduct electricity and interiors that block electricity.

A team of scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has observed, imaged, and characterized the early stages of hydrogen-uranium corrosion for the first time, the lab announced recently.

Later this year, the U.S. Navy will test the power-generating capabilities of one of its crown jewels, the nuclear-powered USS Gerald R. Ford—aiming to demonstrate its ability to provide electricity to installations on shore.

Researchers from the University of Michigan and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have found that predictions of helium generation rates through neutron transmutation in fission and fusion reactors vary widely and include dependencies on the choice of nuclear data library and calculation method.

Nuclear medicine has come a long way since Henri Becquerel first observed the penetrating energy of radioactive materials in 1896. Today, technetium-99m alone is used in more than 40 million diagnostic procedures every year—from cardiovascular imaging and bone scans to cancer detection—making it the undisputed workhorse of nuclear medicine. That single statistic tells you something important: An enormous portion of modern diagnostic medicine rests on a surprisingly narrow foundation, one built around a small number of aging research reactors that were never originally designed for continuous isotope production.

On Tuesday, the National Reactor Innovation Center hosted an industry day for the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad, providing a forum for companies to learn more about how the program works, timelines, collaboration with the various entities involved, and available resources.

The launch pad is a long-term program stemming from the Reactor Pilot Program and Fuel Line Pilot Program. It aims to fast-track regulatory processes for new reactors and fuel facilities that meet certain milestones.

Earlier this week, Idaho National Laboratory announced that its Structural Properties Laboratory (SPL) has been fully operational since January. Located at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex, the SPL houses the lab’s first new hot cell in 50 years.

In response to Executive Order 14300, “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,” the NRC is proposing sweeping changes to its rules governing the use of nuclear materials that are widely used in industry, medicine, and research. The changes would amend NRC regulations for the licensing of nuclear byproduct material, some source material, and some special nuclear material.

As published in the May 18 Federal Register, the NRC is seeking public comment on this proposed rule and draft interim guidance until July 2.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory announced the completion of a set of experiments measuring the viscosity and thermal conductivity of several uranium-bearing molten salts, filling in gaps that could help with the development of molten salt reactors.

The project team for the world’s largest operational tokamak, JT-60SA, has announced that it is getting ready to resume operations. The machine has been undergoing upgrades since 2024, with testing of newly installed equipment occurring since February 27.

Utah State University and Battelle Energy Alliance, an Idaho National Laboratory contractor, have signed a memorandum of understanding, committing to a Strategic Understanding for Premier Education and Research (SUPER) agreement, which formalizes and expands the university’s collaboration with INL.

The Department of Transportation has announced an initiative to develop small modular reactors for commercial shipping. The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has launched a request for information (RFI) seeking industry input on the development of “a U.S.-built scalable, repeatable, commercially viable, system-centric, small modular reactor and their deployment within the marine transportation system.”

Clean Core Thorium Energy has announced the completion of its nearly two-year ANEEL fuel irradiation testing and qualification campaign at Idaho National Laboratory.

The idea behind ANEEL (Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life) fuel is to provide existing pressurized heavy water reactors with a fuel option that has increased high-burnup performance without requiring any modification to the reactors.

A new prototype ion engine known as a lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster has passed a crucial test at NASA. The space agency is hoping to eventually combine this technology with nuclear fission to produce power and thrust for lengthy space flights, such as a crewed mission to Mars.

Ames National Laboratory has announced a new tool that combines artificial intelligence and physics-based modeling to identify materials that can be used in fusion systems, where materials must withstand intense heat, radiation, and mechanical stress.

The University of Utah announced that it will be producing electricity with its TRIGA reactor for the first time this summer. The project is in collaboration with Elemental Nuclear Energy, and the electricity will be used to power a “mini AI data center.”

As the United States faces surging electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence, data centers, and a push to bring manufacturing back home, Idaho National Laboratory is leading an effort to modernize and expand the nation’s nuclear power capabilities by revamping the Department of Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program.