The primary mission of the Office of Nuclear Energy is to advance nuclear power as a resource capable of meeting the Nation's energy, environmental, and national security needs by resolving technical, cost, safety, proliferation resistance, and security barriers through research, development, and demonstration as appropriate.
NE’s program is guided by the four research objectives detailed in its Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap:
- Develop technologies and other solutions that can improve the reliability, sustain the safety, and extend the life of current reactors.
- Develop improvements in the affordability of new reactors to enable nuclear energy to help meet the Administration’s energy security and climate change goals.
- Develop sustainable fuel cycles.
- Understand and minimize the risks of nuclear proliferation and terrorism.
Nuclear Reactor Technologies
R&D support for the various nuclear energy concepts (existing and future).
Fuel Cycle Technologies
Develops used nuclear fuel (UNF) management strategies and technologies to support meeting federal government responsibility to manage and dispose of the nation’s commercial UNF and high-level waste and develops sustainable fuel cycle technologies and options that improve resource utilization and energy generation, enhance safety and limit proliferation risk.
International Nuclear Energy Policy and Cooperation
The Office of International Nuclear Energy Policy and Cooperation (INEPC) collaborates with international partners to support the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Nuclear Facilities Operations
The INL consists of an 890-square-mile area in southeastern Idaho typically referred to as the "site," along with laboratories and administrative buildings located approximately 30 miles east in the city of Idaho Falls.
Advanced Modeling & Simulation
Improving existing nuclear energy operations with advanced modeling and simulation
Nuclear Energy University Programs
Seeking to conduct nuclear energy research at U.S. colleges and universities to further NE’s programmatic needs and DOE’s mission and goals.
Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies
Focusing on innovative research that offers the promise of dramatically improved performance.