The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) has said that the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative had awarded vouchers to Orano Federal Services and TerraPower to help advance their nuclear technologies. Both voucher recipients will gain access to the DOE’s national lab complex.

Orano is partnering with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop a new technical study that updates the physical chemistry limits of uranium hexafluoride gas enriched up to 10% that can be safely transported in existing shipping containers. The new study will be used for review and approval by radioactive material transport regulators.

TerraPower will leverage the neutron testing capabilities at Los Alamos National Laboratory to measure the properties of chlorine isotopes to determine how they will behave in the company’s Molten Chloride Fast Reactor Experiment. The data generated will help reduce regulatory uncertainty of chloride salt reactors.

GAIN voucher recipients do not receive direct financial awards but are provided access to the national labs at no cost. All awardees are responsible for a minimum 20% cost share, which could be an in-kind contribution.

GAIN, established by NE, provides the nuclear community with the technical, regulatory, and financial support necessary to move innovative nuclear technologies toward commercialisation while ensuring the continued, safe, and economic operation of the existing fleet. The vouchers are the third round awarded for FY 2022.