TerraPower is the largest recipient of grant funding from DOE’s ONWARDS program, aiming to lower the waste burden in the advanced nuclear industry
BELLEVUE, Washington – March 14, 2022 – TerraPower announced today that it was selected to receive $8.5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Project Agency – Energy (ARPA-E).The funding is part of the ARPA-E Optimizing Nuclear Waste and Advanced Reactor Disposal Systems (ONWARDS) program. The program is focused on increasing the deployment and use of nuclear power as a reliable source of clean energy and limiting the amount of waste produced from advanced nuclear reactors.
Through the grant, TerraPower will research an experimental method for the recovery of uranium from used nuclear fuel with integrated safeguards that harness the volatility of chloride salts at high temperatures.
“TerraPower continues to advance nuclear energy’s promise for our country and the world,” said TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque. “As a nuclear innovation company, we are actively exploring new solutions across the fuel cycle, including the best way to address used fuel. This aligns with our mission to develop groundbreaking technologies for some of the most pressing challenges of this generation.”
In addition to the used fuel research, the company is building its first Natrium™ reactor, a TerraPower and GE Hitachi technology, as part of DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). TerraPower is further demonstrating, through the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE), a uranium chloride salt-fueled concept with the DOE, Southern Company and other partners, and advancing medical research and innovation through its TerraPower Isotopes® subsidiary.
About TerraPower
TerraPower is a leading nuclear innovation company that strives to improve the world through nuclear energy and science. Since it was founded by Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries, TerraPower has emerged as an incubator and developer of ideas and technologies that offer energy independence, environmental sustainability, medical advancement and other cutting-edge opportunities. It accepts and tackles some of the world’s most difficult challenges. Behind each of its innovations and programs, TerraPower actively works to bring together the strengths and experiences of the world’s public and private sectors to answer pressing global needs. Learn more at terrapower.com.
