Innovation
Research & Development
Research Partnerships
We believe the future of nuclear energy will be built through open collaboration. Our partnerships span academia, national laboratories, and international consortia.
University Partnership Programs
We fund research chairs, doctoral fellowships, and cutting-edge laboratory programs at 25 leading universities worldwide. These partnerships advance nuclear science while developing the next generation of researchers and engineers.
- MIT Department of Nuclear Science
- Georgia Tech Nuclear Engineering
- Imperial College London Centre for Nuclear Engineering
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
National Laboratory Collaborations
Together with national laboratories, we conduct fundamental materials research, fuel cycle studies, and advanced reactor concept validation — sharing knowledge for the benefit of the entire industry.
- Materials irradiation programs
- Advanced fuel cycle research
- Severe accident phenomenology studies
- High-temperature materials testing
International Partnerships
We participate in international research consortia under the IAEA and Generation IV International Forum, contributing to pre-competitive research that accelerates the global development of next-generation reactors.
- Generation IV International Forum
- IAEA Coordinated Research Projects
- OECD/NEA data sharing programs
- EU framework research projects
R&D Focus Areas
Our research portfolio concentrates on four areas with the greatest potential to transform nuclear energy.
Advanced Reactor Designs
R&D on high-temperature, gas-cooled, molten-salt, and fast reactor concepts, focusing on safety margins, fuel efficiency, and structural integrity at extreme conditions.
Fuel Cycle Innovations
Research into accident-tolerant fuels, higher burnup uranium fuel, and recycling technologies that extract more energy from used nuclear fuel while reducing waste volumes.
Materials & Component Reliability
Studying how radiation, heat, and corrosion affect structural materials over 80-year design lives, and developing new alloys, coatings, and inspection techniques.
Simulation & Modeling
Developing high-fidelity multi-physics codes that simulate reactor behavior in unprecedented detail, reducing the need for expensive experimental campaigns.
Research Facilities
World-class facilities where our scientists and engineers push the boundaries of nuclear technology.
ENEC Research Center
Washington, DC
Our flagship research campus, hosting the SMR test systems, thermal-hydraulic laboratories, and the digital twin development center.
- Zero-power SMR criticality test facility
- High-pressure thermal-hydraulics rigs
- Digital twin development laboratory
Advanced Materials Laboratory
Oak Ridge, TN
Focused on radiation effects in materials, this facility is equipped with ion accelerators and post-irradiation examination cells for advanced alloys and fuels.
- Multiple ion-beam accelerator facilities
- Hot cell post-irradiation examination
- Mechanical and corrosion testing suites
Center for Simulation & AI
Denver, CO
Home to our high-performance computing cluster and AI development teams building the digital twin platform used across the fleet.
- Exascale-class simulation cluster
- AI model training and inference infrastructure
- Operator training simulators
Publication Highlights
Selected peer-reviewed publications from our research teams.
Passive Safety System Performance in Advanced PWR Designs Under Station Blackout Conditions
Nuclear Engineering and Design
Machine Learning Approaches for Anomaly Detection in Nuclear Power Plant Sensor Networks
Annals of Nuclear Energy
Radiation Effects on Additively Manufactured Components for Nuclear Service
Journal of Nuclear Materials
A Digital Twin Framework for Predictive Maintenance in Nuclear Generation
Nuclear Technology
Fuel Cycle Economics of Small Modular Reactors in Decarbonized Energy Systems
Energy Policy
Advanced Spatial Kinetics Methods for SMR Licensing Simulations
Progress in Nuclear Energy