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Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Aalo Atomics achieves criticality on July 4
Executive Order 14301 set an ambitious goal for at least three test reactors to achieve criticality by July 4. Two private companies participating in the Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program—Antares and Valar Atomics—reached this stage earlier in June, and Deployable Energy—participating in the DOE's Nuclear Energy Launch Pad—became the third last week.
In the last few weeks, reports indicated that Aalo would be next, reaching criticality at Idaho National Laboratory with a low-enriched uranium–fueled, sodium-cooled reactor on or near the target date set forth by President Trump’s EO 14301. In the early hours of July 4, Aalo’s critical test reactor—a full-scale zero-power version of its planned 10-MWe Aalo-X—did just that, becoming the fourth DOE-authorized reactor to hit the milestone.
March 16, 2022|11:30AM–1:00PM (12:30–2:00PM EDT)
Available to All Users
ANS's Education, Training & Workforce Development Division presented a panel of representatives from academia, industry, and government on what is happening to prepare the future nuclear workforce for the construction and operation of next generation reactors planned to be built in the late 2020s and early 2030s.
The Dr. Kathryn Huff of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy presented DOE current and future programs to support the creation of a robust future workforce for the construction and operation of advanced reactors.
Dr. Wesley Hines of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville described how the university is preparing students for the future generation of reactors and how other nuclear engineering programs can best prepare their students for next generation reactors.
And Nick Touran of TerraPower spoke about initiatives to ensure the availability of workforce needed to build and operate new power plant designs as well as perspectives on what universities and government can do to ensure a next generation reactor ready workforce.
Panelists
J. Wesley HinesUniversity of Tennessee, Knoxville
Kathryn HuffDepartment of Energy,Office of Nuclear Energy
Nicholas TouranTerraPower
Daniel Carleton (Moderator)Terrestrial Energy USA, Inc.
