The primary mission of the Nuclear Energy (NE) program is to advance nuclear power as a resource capable of contributing toward the nation’s energy supply, environmental, and national security needs.

To ensure that nuclear energy remains a viable energy option for the nation, NE supports research, development, and demonstration activities, when appropriate, designed to resolve the technical, cost, safety, waste management, proliferation resistance, and security challenges of increased use of nuclear energy. NE leads the federal research effort to develop nuclear energy technologies, including generation, safety, waste storage and management, and security technologies to help meet energy security, proliferation resistance, and climate goals.

See the DOE FY 2024 Budget Request.

Office of Nuclear Energy FY 2020-23 Budget

Dollars in Thousands

 

FY 2021
Enacted

FY 2022
Enacted

FY 2023
Enacted

FY 2024
Congressional Request

Integrated University Program $5,000 $6,000 $6,500 $6,630
Supercritical Transformational Electric Power (STEP) R&D $5,000 (included within Advanced Reactor Technologies) (included within Advanced Reactor Technologies) 0
Reactor Concepts RD&D        
   Advanced Small Modular Reactor RD&D $115,000 $150,000 $165,000 $20,000
   Light Water Reactor Sustainability $47,000 $48,000 $45,000 $35,000
   Advanced Reactor Technologies $46,000 $59,000 $49,000 $43,200
Reactor Concepts RD&D -- subtotal $208,000 $257,000 $259,000 $98,200
Fuel Cycle R&D        
   Mining, Conversion and Transportation $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 $1,500
   Civil Nuclear Enrichment $40,000 0 0 0
   Materials Recovery and Waste Form Development $25,000 $30,000 $45,000 $39,000
   Accident Tolerant Fuels $105,800 $115,000 $114,000 $108,900
   TRISO Fuel and Graphite Qualification $36,000 $37,000 $32,000 $25,000
    Fuel Cycle Laboratory R&D $20,000 $23,150 $29,000 $29,000
   High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) Availability   $45,000 $100,000 $120,000
   Used Nuclear Fuel Disposition R&D $62,500 $50,000 $47,000 $46,875
   Integrated Waste Management System $18,000 $18,000 $53,000 $53,000
Fuel Cycle R&D -- subtotal $309,300 $320,150 $422,000 $423,275
Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies        
   Crosscutting Technology Development $28,000 $29,000 $32,000 $32,778
   Joint Modeling and Simulation Program $35,000 $30,000 $28,500 $28,500
   Nuclear Science User Facilities $30,000 $33,000 $35,000 $35,000
   Transformational Challenge Reactor $29,869 $25,000 0 0
Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies -- subtotal $122,869 $117,000 $95,500 $96,278
Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program        
   National Reactor Innovation Center $30,000 $53,000 $70,000 $34,000
   Demonstration 1 (Xe) $80,000 $30,000 0 0
   Demonstration 2 (Natrium) $80,000 $30,000 0 0
   Demonstration Reactors 0 0 $60,000 0
   Risk Reduction for Future Demonstrations $40,000 $115,000 $120,000 $120,000
   Regulatory Development $15,000 $15,000 $10,250 $11,000
   Advanced Reactor Safeguards $5,000 $5,000 $4,750 $6,000
   23-E-200, LOTUS, INL 0 $2,000 $20,000 $32,000
Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program -- subtotal $250,000 $250,000 $285,000 $203,000
Versatile Test Reactor Project        
   Other Project Costs $43,000 0 $45,000 0
   21-E-200, Versatile Test Reactor $2,000 0 0 0
Versatile Test Reactor Project -- subtotal $45,000 0 $45,000 0
Infrastructure        
   INL Facilities Operations & Maintenance $280,000 $295,000 $318,924 $318,924
   ORNL Infrastructure Facilities O&M $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 0
   Research Reactor Infrastructure $11,500 $15,000 0 0
     16-E-200, Sample Preparation Laboratory $26,000 $41,850 $7,300 0
Infrastructure -- subtotal $337,500 $371,850 $346,224 $318,924
Idaho Sitewide Safeguards and Security $149,800 $149,800 $150,000 $177,733
International Nuclear Energy Cooperation   $3,000 [$3,000] $13,000
Program Direction $75,131 $80,000 $85,000 $85,500
Total, Nuclear Energy R&D $1,507,600 $1,654,800 $1,773,000 $1,562,620
Nuclear Waste Fund Oversight $27,500 $27,500 $10,205 $12,040
NR Transfer $91,000 $92,747 $99,747 0
TOTAL, OFFICE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY $1,626,100 $1,775,047 $1,783,205 $1,574,660