Factsheets
Nuclear Energy
As the United States moves steadily toward a carbon-free energy future, nuclear power will be an essential part of the journey. INL’s cutting-edge research is making nuclear energy more affordable, versatile and sustainable.
We’re working to give Americans effective tools to fight climate change while keeping our citizens safe.
Browse the fact sheets below to learn more about our research capabilities, collaborations and more.
Nuclear Programs Overview
Nuclear Programs Overview
Multiple INL programs contribute to the safe operation of today’s reactors.
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Capabilities
Advanced Fuels Facility
Advanced Fuels Facility
AFF’s operations involve research and development primarily with uranium-bearing fuels and associated surrogate materials to increase MFC’s advanced fuel manufacturing capabilities.
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Advanced Test Reactor
Advanced Test Reactor
ATR is the only U.S. research reactor capable of providing large-volume, high-flux thermal neutron irradiation in a prototype environment.
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Advanced Test Reactor — Core Overhaul
Advanced Test Reactor — Core Overhaul
ATR’s core overhaul process renews the reactor by replacing components nearest to the core.
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Advanced Test Reactor — Safety
Advanced Test Reactor — Safety
ATR is the largest and most powerful research reactor in the world and supports research for the departments of Energy and Defense.
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Analytical Research Laboratories
Analytical Research Laboratories
ARL supports chemical, radiochemical, physical and analytical data needed for advanced nuclear fuel design, waste management, environmental and other INL programs.
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Electron Microscopy Laboratory
Engineering Development Laboratory
Engineering Development Laboratory
Fabrication, Assembly, and Testing of Research, Development, and
Production Equipment
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Experimental Fuels Facility
Experimental Fuels Facility
EFF includes uranium metal forming equipment, a computer numerical control (CNC) lathe, electrical discharge machine, a cold rolling mill, and other fabrication equipment.
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Fuel Manufacturing Facility
Fuel Manufacturing Facility
FMF transitioned to research and development (R&D) of transuranic metallic and ceramic fuels. It supplies various INL and off-site facilities with feedstock materials.
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Fuels and Applied Science Building
Fuels and Applied Science Building
FASB is a radiological facility that houses small hot cells, gloveboxes, hoods, and other equipment that supports nuclear energy research and development.
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Hot Fuel Examination Facility
Hot Fuel Examination Facility
The Hot Fuel Examination Facility is the largest hot cell dedicated to radioactive material research at Idaho National Laboratory.
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Idaho’s 52 Reactors
Idaho’s 52 Reactors
Since 1949, 52 reactors have been built and operated on INL’s 890-square-mile site.
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Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory
Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory
IMCL is home to instrumentation that allows researchers to study irradiated fuels and materials at the micro, nano and atomic levels.
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Laser Shock System
Laser Shock System
LSS can assess the fabricated interface strength of layered or composite structures and determine the debond stress thresholds from a production process.
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Molten Salt Thermophysical Examination Capability
Molten Salt Thermophysical Examination Capability
The MSTEC will be a state-of-the-art, shielded argon glovebox for irradiated and nonirradiated actinide materials.
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Neutron Radiography Reactor
Neutron Radiography Reactor
Neutron Radiography Reactor (NRAD) core in the water-filled tank beneath the Hot Fuel Examination Facility main hot cell.
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Radiochemistry Laboratory
Research Collaboration Building
Research Collaboration Building
RCB provides dedicated space for visiting researchers to interact with INL research staff at the Materials and Fuels Complex.
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Sample Preparation Laboratory
Sample Preparation Laboratory
SPL a Hazard Category 3 facility to serve as a national center for accelerated research, development, and qualification of nuclear materials.
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Test Train Assembly Facility
Test Train Assembly Facility
The Test Train Assembly Facility (TTAF) is used for final assembly of experiments to be installed at the ATR.
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Transient Reactor Test Facility
Transient Reactor Test Facility
TREAT allows researchers to test nuclear fuels and materials in off-normal and accident conditions, providing key data that helps improve safety and efficiency
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Zero Power Physics Reactor Facility
Zero Power Physics Reactor Facility
ZPPR is a nuclear facility with current capabilities that include storage, inspection, and repackaging of transuranic elements and enriched uranium.
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Aqueous Separations Laboratories
Aqueous Separations Laboratories
Aqueous Separations Laboratories specialize in the research and development of water-based and gas phase separations for researchers and industry.
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Electrochemistry in Extreme Environments
Electrochemistry in Extreme Environments
INL researchers have developed a monolithic iridium anode that makes electrochemical reprocessing more cost-effective.
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Energy Innovation Laboratory Pyrochemistry Research Capabilities
Energy Innovation Laboratory Pyrochemistry Research Capabilities
Researching molten salts for processing used nuclear fuels and developing molten salt reactor systems.
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Fuel Conditioning Facility
Fuel Conditioning Facility
INL’s Fuel Conditioning Facility supports work to demonstrate the technical feasibility of a nuclear recycling technique called pyroprocessing.
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Materials and Fuels Complex Pyrochemistry Research Capabilities
Materials and Fuels Complex Pyrochemistry Research Capabilities
The Pyrochemistry Laboratories play a vital role in researching molten salts for processing used nuclear fuels and developing molten salt reactor systems.
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Material Recovery Pilot Plant
Material Recovery Pilot Plant
The Material Recovery Pilot Plant (MRPP), a research facility operated by the Department of Energy at Idaho National Laboratory, supports processes to recover materials from nuclear fuel.
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Materials Security and Consolidation Complex
Materials Security and Consolidation Complex
The Materials Security and Consolidation Complex supports radioactive material storage and repackaging, contamination techniques and fuel cycle research capabilities.
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Solvent Extraction Equipment Testing Laboratory
Solvent Extraction Equipment Testing Laboratory
The Solvent Extraction Equipment Testing Laboratory allows researchers to develop criteria for separations processes and makes them more efficient.
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3 Types of Nuclear Reactors
3 Types of Nuclear Reactors
INL operates 3 types of nuclear reactors: test, demonstration and commercial power reactors.
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Digital Engineering
Digital Engineering
Digital Engineering uses digital information management systems to design, engineer, build, operate and maintain complex megaprojects.
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Generation IV Nuclear Technology
Generation IV Nuclear Technology
Advanced Fuel Cycle research is an important complement to Generation IV development work at the Idaho National Laboratory.
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Measurement Science Laboratories
Measurement Science Laboratories
The Pyrochemistry Laboratories play a vital role in researching molten salts for processing used nuclear fuels and developing molten salt reactor systems.
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Microreactor AGile Non-Nuclear Experimental Test Bed (MAGNET)
Microreactor AGile Non-Nuclear Experimental Test Bed (MAGNET)
A facility for researchers and technology developers to test new microreactor concepts.
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Single Primary Heat Extraction and Removal Emulator (SPHERE)
Single Primary Heat Extraction and Removal Emulator (SPHERE)
SPHERE can be broadly used to test microreactor structures and subsystems.
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Dynamic Instructions Editing Tool Requirements (DIRECTOR) Initiative
Dynamic Instructions Editing Tool Requirements (DIRECTOR) Initiative
The DIRECTOR initiative is a one-of-a-kind initiative that addresses the need for consistent and clear guidelines when transitioning from paper to dynamic instructions.
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Human System Simulation Laboratory
Human System Simulation Laboratory
A virtual nuclear control room that safely tests new technologies before they are implemented at commercial reactors.
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Monitoring, Diagnostics and Automation Laboratory
Monitoring, Diagnostics and Automation Laboratory
The Monitoring, Diagnostics and Automation Laboratory is helping the nuclear industry develop new sensors, control algorithms and innovative ways to reduce plant operational costs.
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MOOSE Simulation Environment
MOOSE Simulation Environment
Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment, better known as MOOSE, makes modeling and simulation more accessible to a broad array of scientists.
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RAVEN
RAVEN
RAVEN is a flexible and multi-purpose uncertainty quantification, regression analysis, probabilistic risk assessment, data analysis and model optimization framework.
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Safety and Tritium Applied Research Facility
Safety and Tritium Applied Research Facility
The Safety and Tritium Applied Research Facility focuses developing safe nuclear technology for fusion and advanced fission energy systems.
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Space Nuclear Power and Isotope Technologies Division
Space Nuclear Power and Isotope Technologies Division
The Space and Security Power Systems Facility assembles, fuels, tests, and prepares power systems for launch.
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Collaborations
Center for Advanced Energy Studies
Center for Advanced Energy Studies
CAES is committed to conducting cutting-edge energy research, educating the next generation of scientists and engineers, and partnering with industry to advance competitiveness.
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Collaborative Computing Center
Collaborative Computing Center
C3 enables research and education through computational science, high-performance computing, and scientific visualization.
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Glenn T. Seaborg Institute
Glenn T. Seaborg Institute
INL’s Glenn T. Seaborg Institute is one of five in the U.S. Department of Energy’s national laboratory system named after the Nobel Prize winner and scientist Glenn T. Seaborg.
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How INL Unites with Utah
How INL Unites with Utah
Idaho National Laboratory partnerships within the state of Utah illustrate a growing relationship that makes sense both geographically and academically.
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Versatile Test Reactor
Versatile Test Reactor
The Versatile Test Reactor will leverage existing U.S. government and industry investments in nuclear reactors to accelerate its design and construction process.
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Microreactor AGile Non-Nuclear Experimental Testbed (MAGNET)
Microreactor AGile Non-Nuclear Experimental Testbed (MAGNET)
A facility for researchers and technology developers to test new microreactor concepts.
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Microreactor Applications Research Validation and Evaluation Project (MARVEL)
MARVEL
Researchers and technology developers gain operational experience with a real 100-kW fission microreactor.
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The U.S. DOE Microreactor Program
The U.S. DOE Microreactor Program
The U.S. DOE Microreactor Program performs research and development to enable microreactor development, deployment and commercialization.
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Fast Reactors
Fast Reactors
Developing safe, reliable sources of carbon-free energy will be the next decade’s greatest challenge for US power producers. Several US companies are developing Fast Reactors, a type of advanced nuclear reactor.
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High Temperature Reactors
High Temperature Reactors
Several US companies are developing High Temperature Reactors, a type of advanced nuclear reactor used to provide safe, reliable sources of carbon-free energy.
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Molten Salt Reactors
Molten Salt Reactors
Developing safe, reliable sources of carbon-free energy will be the next decade’s greatest challenge for power producers in the US. Several US-based companies are developing Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs), a type of advanced nuclear reactor.
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EBR-II Test Bed Information
EBR-II Test Bed Information
Since EBR-II demonstrated electricity generation, the dome is well suited for higher thermal power reactor projects and those that aim to demonstrate electricity generation.
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The National Reactor Innovation Center
The National Reactor Innovation Center
The U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Nuclear Energy
established the National Reactor
Innovation Center (NRIC) in 2019.
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Just the Facts
Just the Facts: Chernobyl
Just the Facts: Chernobyl
Certain incidents at nuclear power reactors influence society’s perception of the technology. Chernobyl revealed lessons that improved nuclear energy safety.
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Just the Facts: Fukushima
Just the Facts: Fukushima
Certain incidents at nuclear power reactors influence society’s perception of the technology. Fukishima revealed lessons that improved nuclear energy safety.
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Just the Facts: SL-1
Just the Facts: SL-1
Certain incidents at nuclear power reactors influence society’s perception of the technology. SL-1 revealed lessons that improved nuclear energy safety.
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Just the Facts: Three Mile Island
Just the Facts: Three Mile Island
Certain incidents at nuclear power reactors influence society’s perception of the technology. Three Mile Island revealed lessons that improved nuclear energy safety.
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