High-flux research reactor could help move new nuclear fuels toward commercial qualification

The U.S. is ready to build more nuclear reactors, but a dwindling network of research reactors capable of testing new nuclear fuels for commercial use presents a major bottleneck. With a long record of success in innovation and fuel experimentation, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is one of the few research reactors equipped to clear the backlog and support accelerated fuel development and qualification.