The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) is expediting the construction of the world’s first two microreactor test beds. Microreactors can provide one to fifty-megawatts of reliable power.

Named Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) and Laboratory for Operation and Testing in the United States (LOTUS), the two test beds will allow reactor developers to test their fueled microreactor experiments quickly, safely, and cost-effectively by leveraging existing infrastructure at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The DoE has granted priority rating authorization to Idaho National Laboratory (INL).

The new rating system is based on recent actions by the DoE to streamline construction projects across the national laboratories to restore energy dominance and help spur U.S. innovation.

Rian Bahran is the DoE Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors. He said, “As President Trump and Secretary Wright have directed, we are coordinating across the federal government and using every tool at our disposal to unleash American energy abundance and dominance. The priority rating under the Defense Production Act for these reactor test beds at Idaho National Laboratory will be an important instrument ensuring we start the American nuclear renaissance now.”

In early May of this year, INL submitted a special priorities request to DoE to receive priority rating authorization on contracts and orders related to the construction of the DOME and LOTUS microreactor test beds.

INL explained that microreactors are small, factory-built nuclear reactors that can provide between one and fifty megawatts of reliable power to remote locations, military bases, and commercial operations.

The DOME and LOTUS test beds are operated by the DoE’s National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) to accelerate the demonstration and deployment of advanced microreactor systems.

According to an INL press release, the DOME test bed is repurposing the lab’s Experimental Breeder Reactor-II containment structure to lower the risk of developing microreactor designs capable of producing twenty megawatts or less of thermal energy.

The LOTUS test bed is expected to be housed in the INL’s former Zero Power Physics Reactor facility. The test bed will be part of the world’s first fast-spectrum, salt-fueled reactor test led by Southern Company and TerraPower.

Brad Tomer is the Director of NRIC. He said, “This priority rating will significantly reduce the time it will take to secure the components and services we need to complete the test beds and help microreactor developers stay on their aggressive schedules.”.

DOME is expected to host experimental reactors up to twenty megawatts of thermal energy using high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) in an environment that safely supports nuclear systems going critical for the first time. An end-to-end reactor testing ecosystem will support reactor developers from the initial design through testing and decommissioning.

Currently, microreactor developers can submit applications to schedule their microreactor experiments in the NRIC DOME test bed facility.

The U.S. DoE has released an application guide to assist reactor developers through the submission process. The sequencing of reactor experiments will be based on several criteria. These include technology readiness, fuel type and availability, regulatory approval plan, and the developer’s capabilities.

Idaho National Laboratory