Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program
Stored: Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program
| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | Office of Nuclear Energy |
| Top Organization | Department of Energy |
| Creation Legislation | Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-439), Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-58) |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | ARDP, via DOE's Nuclear Energy Office, funds advanced reactor development to enhance energy security, cut emissions, and lead in nuclear tech with safe, cost-effective SMRs by 2030 through industry-lab partnerships. |
| Program Start | 2020 |
| Initial Funding | $160 million |
| Duration | Ongoing (targeted completion for demonstrations by 2030) |
| Historic | No |
The Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), established in 2020 under the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act of 2018 and expanded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, is administered by the Department of Energy (DOE) through its Office of Nuclear Energy to provide cost-shared awards to private companies, national labs, and research institutions, allocating over $3 billion since inception to support approximately 15 demonstration projects annually by 2025. Initially funded with $160 million, it has grown to distribute $1.5 billion in FY 2024 across 15 awards, funding projects like sodium-cooled fast reactors, molten salt reactors, and high-temperature gas reactors at sites like Idaho National Laboratory and TerraPower.[1] Despite its impact, challenges like funding competition, regulatory hurdles, and deployment timelines persist (web ID: 4), but it remains a flagship DOE effort to modernize nuclear energy.
Goals
- Accelerate the design, development, and demonstration of advanced nuclear reactors by 2030.
- Enhance energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower energy costs through innovative nuclear technologies.
- Strengthen U.S. leadership in nuclear innovation and create jobs through cost-shared partnerships with industry.[2]
Organization
The ARDP is managed by DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, overseen by Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm since 2021, with the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) facilitating demonstrations under federal oversight. It operates via annual appropriations, guided by the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and subsequent funding acts like Public Law 117-328 (2022).[3]
Partners
History
Authorized by the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-439) and expanded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-58), and launched in 2020 with $160 million, the ARDP expanded with annual appropriations, reaching $1.5 billion in FY 2024.[4] It grew from funding 5 projects annually in 2021 to 15 by 2025, addressing energy challenges with innovations like SMRs (web ID: 4). By 2025, it has awarded over $3 billion, though GAO notes funding competition concerns (web ID: 4).
Funding
Initial funding of $160 million in 2020 supported the program’s launch, with over $3 billion appropriated by 2025 via annual DOE budgets—e.g., $1.5 billion in FY 2024.[5] Ongoing appropriations under the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act sustain its operations, with no fixed end as it targets demonstrations by 2030, requiring cost-sharing from private partners (web ID: 4).
Implementation
ARDP distributes cost-shared grants and contracts annually, requiring applicants to propose advanced reactor designs meeting DOE goals, tracked via DOE’s grants management system.[6] It progresses through partnerships with industry and labs—e.g., 15 projects yearly—and program expansions, adapting to energy needs with demonstrations targeted by 2030, though regulatory hurdles remain a challenge (web ID: 4).
Related
External links
- https://www.energy.gov/ne/advanced-reactor-demonstration-program-ardp
- https://www.nric.energy.gov
- wikipedia:Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program
Social media
References
- ↑ "Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP)". U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/ne/advanced-reactor-demonstration-program-ardp.
- ↑ "Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program Fact Sheet". U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2020-05/ARDP-Fact-Sheet.pdf.
- ↑ "DOE Leadership". U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/leadership.
- ↑ "Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act of 2018". U.S. Congress. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/512.
- ↑ "Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP)". U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/ne/advanced-reactor-demonstration-program-ardp.
- ↑ "DOE Grants". U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/eere/grants.