b'1.2 FROM THE DIRECTORW orldwide urgency toopment and qualification efforts develop and implementperformed by these programs (to nuclear technology todate and those expected to complete deliver clean, reliable, and economicin the next several years) none of energy clearly sets the pace forthese revolutionary reactor concepts research being conducted bywould be viable for demonstration, DOE-NE and its industrial partners.let alone commercial deployment. Its essential to recognize thatThis point clearly emphasizes the advanced fuel technology is at thevalue and purpose of long-term R&D center of that effort. Whether thatprograms that operate with goals stems from recent improvements inwell beyond those that occupy the LWR fuel technology or emergenceimmediate attention of industry. of new to industry fuel tech- The AFC program holds a unique nologies that are driving advanced Daniel Wachsreactors to the edge of deployment,cross-cutting position in the fuel National Technical Directorthe challenge we face as a researchtechnology development ecosystem. (208) 526-6393and development community isSimultaneously investing in the daniel.wachs@inl.gov clearthe work were doing now isdiscovery, development, and main-the foundation for it all!Much oftenance of technology being used the current industrial opportunitynow, in the near future, and in the is the logical end to a process thatlong term. Balancing this portfolio started 20 years ago when, recog- is complex and challenging. At the nizing the long term importance ofcurrent moment, our effort leans nuclear energy to economic energyheavily into enabling expansion production, national security, and,of nuclear technology use over the ultimately, climate change, thenext decade by emphasizing quali-office of Nuclear Energy moved outfication of the fuel systems needed of the shadows and was once againto enhance the current fleet of elevated to the assistant secretaryLWRs and enable demonstration of level within the DOE and federaladvanced technologies (ranging from investments in nuclear energy grewSMRs to LMRs and beyond). from ~$100M in 2002 to nearly $1.5BAfter barely a decade of work, ATF in 2023.technology is on the cusp of qualifi-This revival has been partiallycation and is entering the commer-fueled by the foundational accom- cialization phase. Early phase ATF plishments of DOE-NEs advancedresearch by the labs and industry fuels programs, most notably thehave enabled irradiation of lead test accident tolerant fuels, metal fuels,rods in commercial facilities that and TRISO fuels programs that haveare now nearing full lifecycle (third delivered technology that underpinscycle) irradiations. Examination of virtually every credible commercialthese rods in-canal and in DOE hot reactor concept being considered bycell facilities at ORNL and INL are industry today. Without the devel- yielding significant results that will leverage further deployment and 12 2023|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'