NRIC Archives

The POWER Interview: DOE’s Unique New Advanced Nuclear Reactor Test Beds

The DOE’s National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) has since 2021 set out to refurbish EBR II (which operated from 1964 – 1994) as a new test bed for higher thermal power reactor projects. The Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed is a demonstration platform that is flexible enough to test four to five advanced reactors. Testing could begin in 2026. Source: DOE

In October, the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) kicked off a ceremony to repurpose the iconic Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) containment structure at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as a new…

DOE Picks Nuclear Designs for First Microreactor Experiments at INL’s New Test Bed

The eVinci microreactor has very few moving parts, working "essentially as a battery, providing the versatility for power systems ranging from several kilowatts to 5 MW of electricity, delivered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for eight-plus years without refueling," Westinghouse says. "It can also produce high temperature heat suitable for industrial applications including alternative fuel production such as hydrogen, and has the flexibility to balance renewable output." The technology is 100% factory built and assembled before it is shipped in a container to any location. Courtesy: Westinghouse

The Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled three nuclear microreactor developers that will design the first experiments at Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL’s) new Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed,…

How NRIC Is Helping Advance Technology for the Nuclear Power Industry

The National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) is a national Department of Energy (DOE) program led by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) that allows collaborators to harness the world-class capabilities of…

Versatile Test Reactor Program Selects Bechtel Team for Nuclear Design, Build Phase

Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA), the entity that manages Idaho National Laboratory (INL), has initiated contract negotiations with a team lead by Bechtel National Inc. (BNI) and supported by GE Hitachi…

Innovation Propels Nuclear Power on New Trajectory

by Sonal Patel

Innovation is ushering in a new age for nuclear power. As well as boosting plant economics, efficiency, and flexibility, advanced technologies could open up new markets to meet soaring demand…