The US needs a high-flux and high-energy neutron irradiation capability if it is to compete with Russia and China and collaborate more effectively with international nuclear energy partners on the development and deployment of advanced reactors.

In a special issue of the American Nuclear Society’s peer-reviewed Nuclear Science and Engineering journal, guest editors Kemal Pasamehmetoglu and Abderrafi Ougouag said the Versatile Test Reactor (VTR) is aimed at filling this one “remaining major gap”.

“It is important to note that such a capability presently exists only in the Russian Federation, while China is also rapidly developing similar capabilities,” they said.

“Having this capability in the United States would enhance the competitiveness of US industry and the US nuclear safety and security posture globally and enable the United States to collaborate more effectively with international nuclear energy partners.”