The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is providing up to $20 million for projects to identify/develop technologies for lower cost and safer advanced nuclear reactors. The funding is part of a new program under the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) initiative. The comparatively high operating and maintenance costs of the U.S.’s current operating fleet of light water reactors — which supply nearly 20% of U.S. electricity — mean there is a “compelling opportunity” to leverage new manufacturing processes and technologies to increase the competitiveness of nuclear power, DOE said. ARPA-E’s Modeling-Enhanced Innovations Trailblazing Nuclear Energy Reinvigoration (MEITNER) program will focus on new, innovative technologies to help achieve safe and secure operation, low construction capital costs, and shorter construction and commissioning times for the next generation of nuclear power plants, World Nuclear News reported.
Kallanish 25th Oct 2017 read more »