This week the Department of Energy announced funding for 51 research projects through its ongoing Nuclear Energy University Programs.
At the NEUP annual workshop Tuesday, DOE officials outlined $39 million in grants awarded to 31 U.S. universities in more than 20 states. They will fund projects in fuel cycle research ($12.4 million), reactor concepts research ($11.9 million), advanced modeling and simulation ($4.9 million) and transformative research ($9.8 million) that focuses on “game-changing nuclear energy technologies.”
“As part of our commitment to restarting the American nuclear industry and creating thousands of new jobs and export opportunities in the process, we are investing in cutting-edge nuclear energy research projects that can develop the technologies required to advance our domestic nuclear industry and maintain global leadership in the field,” Energy Secretary Stephen Chu said in a DOE release.
NEUP was formed in 2009 to consolidate programs within the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy that help fund university research and equipment. Recent grants include $1.1 million for University of Colorado and University of Wyoming researchers developing advanced models to monitor fuel performance and $1 million for Clemson University research into the interaction between spent fuel and storage containers under extreme conditions.