Background
Advanced reactors are well positioned to meet the substantial increase in future energy demand and will open a range of new applications that can support data centers, microchip manufacturing, and other industries.
Most advanced reactor designs require high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) to achieve smaller designs, longer operating cycles, and increased efficiencies over current technologies.
There are limited licensed options to transport HALEU in the United States, including the use of highly enriched uranium casks, which makes shipping large quantities of HALEU costly and time consuming.
Program Overview
The U.S. Department of Energy is interested in developing long-term economical solutions for the transportation of HALEU. The objective of this award is to provide up to $16 million to research, develop, and acquire U.S. Nuclear Regulatory certification for new or modified HALEU transportation packages.
Awards
The Department awarded $11 million in July 2025 to the following U.S. companies under two topic areas:
Topic Area 1: Applications for NRC certification of new package design concepts.
- NAC International
- Westinghouse Electric Company
- Container Technologies Industries, LLC
- American Centrifuge Operating
- Paragon D&E
Topic Area 2: Applications for NRC certification of modification to existing design packages.
- NAC International
Notice of Funding Opportunity
- Applications for NRC certification of new package design concepts.
- DOE intends this topic for concepts that will likely require sufficient award duration and funding to achieve cost competitive, economically viable transportation packages.
- Applications for NRC certification of modification to existing design packages.
- DOE intends this topic for concepts that are further along in the development and require less time and costs associated with achieving NRC certificate of compliance (CoC).
Awards under Topic Area 1 will have a performance period of up to three years, while awards made under Topic Area 2 will have a performance period of up to two years.
The application deadline closed on February 14, 2025.
Announcements
- Read the press release announcing $11 million to support HALEU transportation package development published July 2025
- Read the solicitation issued November 2024.
Resources
- Read our blog on finding better ways to transport HALEU
- Read our blog on What is HALEU
- View our infographic on HALEU