The Department of Energy tapped Standard Nuclear on Monday for a new pilot program aimed at boosting the nuclear fuel supply in the U.S. to test new reactors.
DOE launched the nuclear fuel program in July to support the department’s efforts to fast-track commercial licensing for new advanced reactors. At the time, DOE said the U.S. “currently lacks the sufficient domestic fuel resources to meet projected demand.”
President Donald Trump has prioritized nuclear energy, issuing an executive order in May that seeks to deploy “advanced nuclear reactor technologies for national security.” The pilot program was launched following that order.
The agency’s selection of Oak Ridge, Tennessee-based Standard Nuclear came even as the initial application window for the program remains open through Aug. 15. The company emerged recently from the bankruptcy of Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation, according to reports, and its CEO is Kurt Terrani, a nuclear engineer with nearly two decades of experience in nuclear research and business.
