Researchers at Idaho National Laboratory, a US Department of Energy national laboratory, have demonstrated the first digital twin of a simulated nuclear microreactor.

The DOE said the successful demonstration builds on advancements in remote monitoring, autonomous control, and predictive capabilities that can help lower operating costs of microreactor technologies and enhance their safety.

The data collected using the digital twin can be used to reduce technical uncertainty and optimise reactor designs before they are built in the real world.