The heartbeat of progress: Teamwork fuels first-of-a-kind reactor design test
When asked to describe her job within the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE), Kristy Spencer smiled. “Whenever the project needs anything, I’m there and ready to help because I’m kind of obsessed with it,” she said. Spencer is a nuclear spent fuel analyst at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). She isn’t the MCRE lead, but […]
U.S. Army taps INL’s nuclear expertise, capabilities to strengthen radiological response and readiness
It’s Tuesday morning in early June and the Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) control room is crawling with visitors. Men in fatigues thumb through logbooks, monitor radiation levels, and consult data and images on laptop computers. These visitors are members of the U.S. Army’s Nuclear Disablement Team (NDT), participating in a […]
MARVEL milestone: Microreactor project completes coolant system testing
In the spring of 2020, a team of engineers at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) embarked on a groundbreaking project to design a microreactor test facility that could transform the world’s energy future. At the center of it all was Carlo Parisi, who vividly recalls conceiving a critical mechanism for the cooling system of the […]
Idaho National Laboratory accelerates nuclear energy projects with Amazon Web Services cloud and AI technologies
(IDAHO FALLS, Idaho) — The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) will collaborate to use AWS’s advanced capabilities and cloud infrastructure to develop artificial intelligence (AI) tools for nuclear energy projects. INL leads the nation in adapting AI for the nuclear energy industry. The laboratory is developing a suite of technologies that […]
Idaho National Laboratory collaborates with Microsoft to streamline nuclear licensing
(IDAHO FALLS, Idaho) — The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) have announced a collaboration to use Microsoft’s Azure cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to streamline the nuclear permitting and licensing application process. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy through the National Reactor Innovation Center provided funding for […]
Western states forge alliance with nation’s nuclear lab on advanced energy development
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is the hub of collaboration among Western states to advance nuclear energy. This effort, anchored in legislative frameworks, strategic investments, collaborations and partnerships, is positioning the region as a leader in nuclear innovation. The Mountain West is particularly well-suited for advanced nuclear energy due to its growing energy needs and […]
Idaho researchers collaborate with US company to develop novel nuclear fuel to preserve, improve today’s reactors
Father and son entrepreneurs Mehul and Milan Shah have patented a new nuclear fuel design that could reduce nuclear waste, enhance safety and lower costs for today’s pressurized heavy water reactors. The Shahs — CEO and chief operating officer, respectively, of Clean Core Thorium Energy, along with chief technology officer Paul Chan — combined thorium with […]
Idaho and Trump Administration sign agreement to support US nuclear energy future
(IDAHO FALLS, Idaho) — The State of Idaho and the U.S. Department of Energy have agreed to a targeted waiver of the 1995 Settlement Agreement. The agreement established milestones to remove legacy waste at the Idaho National Laboratory site while allowing nuclear energy research and development at the lab. The waiver will enable critical research […]
Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative: Ready, set, grow
GAIN and NASEO help states fast-track nuclear energy development Eleven governors and their state energy offices are putting out ready-for-business signs to advanced nuclear energy developers under an initiative that taps into experts at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) […]
Real-time monitoring of advanced nuclear fuel now possible with new test bed
To meet energy demands and reestablish the nation’s energy dominance, U.S. companies are developing several types of advanced reactors. One type of advanced reactor, a molten salt reactor, uses fuels dissolved in molten salt coolants instead of the solid fuels used in traditional nuclear reactors. These reactors feature enhanced safety features and high temperatures, which […]
Idaho National Laboratory seeks sponsor for innovation incubator to support technology commercialization
(IDAHO FALLS, Idaho) – The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is seeking an industry sponsor to invest $5 million to $10 million in a privately funded innovation incubator. This program will combine the power of a national laboratory with private sector commercialization knowledge to unleash breakthrough innovations by finding and supporting promising startups in the areas […]
Fusion for the future: Nuclear lab plays key role in testing a crucial technology
A cutting-edge project to test “fusion blanket” technologies is taking shape, with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) leading the charge to create a critical component of a fusion reactor. This work is part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) $107 million funding award to six research centers called Fusion Innovative Research Engine (FIRE) collaboratives. INL […]
Scientists cook up the perfect recipe to feed an energy future
After five years of trying to find the right ingredients, scientists at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) believe they have created the perfect recipe to fuel the world’s first critical fast-spectrum molten salt reactor. The Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE) at INL will test a new type of nuclear reactor that uses a mixture of […]
Celebrating a decade of innovation: The Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear
Ten years ago, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a landmark initiative to boost innovation in nuclear energy development by using the technical expertise of the nation’s energy laboratories. The department established Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) to act as the matchmaker that connects nuclear innovators to lab experts and capabilities. Lori Braase […]
INL’s enduring mission: How high-flux thermal irradiation testing became a foundation for US nuclear leadership
Seventy-five years ago, the sweeping landscape of the Idaho desert over the Snake River Aquifer was a land of sagebrush, brown grass and lava rock. Today, the desert site facilities of Idaho National Laboratory are still home to sagebrush, brown grass and lava rock but also to of some of the world’s most cutting-edge nuclear […]
National lab, South Carolina company partner to build coolant system for microreactor demonstration
(IDAHO FALLS, Idaho) — The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) crossed another milestone in developing the MARVEL microreactor this month when Battelle Energy Alliance launched the effort to fabricate the reactor’s primary coolant system. A team from INL and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy recently visited Carolina Fabricators Inc. (CFI) to kick […]
INL announces collaboration with the University of Tennessee
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville have agreed to cooperate in areas of mutual scientific and technical interest, including applied and advanced nuclear technology. Battelle Energy Alliance and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will foster collaboration between INL and the university, expanding opportunities […]
EBR-I open for limited hours Friday, Dec. 20
(IDAHO FALLS, Idaho) — Looking for a winter day trip? The Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-I) Museum, located 50 miles west of Idaho Falls on U.S. 20, will be open to the public Friday, Dec. 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no cost for entry. This year, a free bus from Idaho […]
Nuclear Science Week returns to Idaho
For the first time in seven years, Idaho National Laboratory and Idaho Falls played host to National Nuclear Science Week, which takes place the third week of October every year. Any U.S. city with a strong connection to the atom can apply to host the Nuclear Science Week national event. Much has changed since 2017, […]
TRIPWIRE: Leading the way for radiation detection
As nations explore ways to reduce carbon emissions, nuclear energy is increasingly recognized as a safe, reliable option for coping with the increase in electricity use. Further, tomorrow’s advanced nuclear reactors are smaller and more flexible than today’s reactor fleet, which allows them to integrate more renewables with the grid, provide heat for industry, and […]