b'drive the simultaneous harvest ofously revitalize the US researchcarry advanced reactor technology economic and safety benefits. Fuelinfrastructure. Re-building theto the next level.vendors are building the infrastruc- National LWR Testbed has been aAgain, over just the last 20 years, the ture needed to deliver commerciallyhigh priority over the last decadeDOE-NE budget has jumped by an relevant quantifies of fuel. Utilitiesand includes some very high waterorder of magnitude as pressure to are preparing to take advantagemarks, including restart of theexpand nuclear energy utilization of the improved performanceTREAT facility. However, it has alsobegan to grow. If we can capture the characteristics at their plants. Theestablished more abstract strengths,opportunity that faces us in the next NRC is modernizing the regulatorylike the re-nucleation and reconnec- several years, one can easily imagine framework to address modern meth- tion of scientific specialists that area similar jump over the next 20 odologies and approaches neededcapable of asking and answering theyears as nuclear technology real-to springboard the national energyright questions. These talents haveizes its potential to satisfy energy portfolio into the future.impact on resolution of challengesneeds of the nation and world. Its Throughout the process of revivingthat are sprinkled throughout thetremendously exciting to see that all the national innovation engine fornuclear energy ecosystems bodyof AFC is playing a growing role in LWRs to drive ATF technology, theof stakeholders. While theres stillthe endeavor!opportunity for self-reflection onwork to do (looking at you ATR existing technology has opened thei-loops), the pivot toward harvesting door to enhancing the value of thethe power of the National LWR current nuclear fuel technology asTestbed is fast approaching.a stepping stone to the advancedBut were not satisfied at stopping designs. Opportunities to dramati- there. Big things are on the horizonDan Wachscally improve economic performancefor nuclear energy. Interest and of the existing fleet have emerged.investment in the deployment of Primarily in the form of longeradvanced reactor systems is at a operating cycles at many plantslevel not seen in the United States (extending from 18 to 24 months)since the 1960s. Deployment of as well as realizing opportunitiesdemonstration facilities including to potentially uprate powers. Thisboth Natrium and X-energy are only requires developing the technicalpossible following the decades of basis for increasing licensedfuel development work performed burnup from ~62 GWD/MTU toon metal fuel by AFC and by our as high as 75-85 GWD/MTU. Thisclose sibling TRISO program. In fact, simultaneously requires extendingqualification of metallic fuel for enrichment beyond 5% to as high asbroad industrial use is just about at 10%. Forging into these new serviceour fingertips. Without the vision regimes requires extending both ourand effort of these foundational DOE scientific and engineering under- programs, the emerging industrial standing of the stresses placed ondeployment would simply not fuel during service and how the fuelbe possible. Its clear that these responds to them. programs are the root of emerging Facilitating this transformationNext Generation Fuels research and has required that we simultane- development program needed to 2023|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS 13'