69 2017 Resumption of Transient Testing After more than two decades in standby mode, the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) was restarted on Nov. 15, 2017, and completed its first transient two months later. On Sept. 18, 2018,TREAT performed a transient irradiation on a light water reactor fuel rodlet as part of a testing series for DOE’s Accident Tolerant Fuels program.The test marked the return of a capability that is critical to America’s role in developing nuclear fuels, for both the existing fleet and a new generation of advanced reactors under design. While other transient test reactors exist in other countries, the United States had been without the capability since 1994, when TREAT was placed on operational standby. “ Restoring this capability in the U.S. keeps our nation in a leading role to develop advanced nuclear fuels and reactor technologies.” — Mark Peters, INL Director