As part of a Department of Energy (DOE) initiative to help restart the United States’ nuclear industry, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been awarded almost USD$1 million. To help improve reactor safety, performance and cost competitiveness and to help solve challenges in the nuclear industry, DOE awarded USD$10.9 million nationwide.
The Richland lab plans to put the money to use in developing a new high-temperature structural material for use in advanced reactors as an accident-tolerant replacement for zircaloy cladding, which could extend the lifetime of fuel, reducing the cost of electricity production.