Critical Decision 1 is the second step in the formal process the DOE uses to review and manage research infrastructure projects. As soon Congress appropriates funding the VTR project will move to the engineering design phase. The DOE has requested $295m for FY 2021 for the project.
Energy secretary Dan Brouillette said the approval of Critical Decision 1 represents a significant step toward reestablishing the US as a global leader in nuclear energy research, safety and security, and developing new technologies that will help supply the world with low-carbon energy.
He said the VTR addresses a longstanding gap in research infrastructure in the US. “We have not had a fast neutron spectrum test facility for decades. Many of the new reactor designs under development by the US require this sort of long-term testing capability.”
The DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy established the VTR programme in 2018 in response to reports outlining the need for a fast spectrum test reactor and requests from US companies developing advanced reactors. Many of the new designs require different testing capabilities to the existing testing infrastructure that supports today’s nuclear energy technologies. Since then, a team of experts from six national laboratories, 19 universities and nine industry partners have been developing a design, cost estimate, and schedule for VTR.
