Senators: Placing Reactor Innovation Center in Idaho is a Credit to the Idaho National Lab

Idaho Falls -- In just three years, the nuclear advancement and technology plans envisioned by Idaho’s U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and James Risch came to reality today at the Idaho National Laboratory.  Flanked by Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Manager Bob Boston and Idaho National Lab (INL) Director Dr. Mark Peters, Crapo and Risch discussed the decision to locate the new National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) at the Idaho Falls facility.  The NRIC is the result of the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act (NEICA) that was shepherded through Congress by Crapo and Risch.  Representative Mike Simpson (R-Idaho-2) voted for the measure in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

“This is the ultimate public-private sector partnership that will take the next step to grow clean nuclear power across the nation,” said Senator Crapo.  “It makes sense that the INL is the place where private developers will now work with the Department of Defense and NASA to come and demonstrate new nuclear technologies.  I look forward to seeing micro-reactors and small modular reactors being built here.  The best is yet to come!” 

“The INL is our nation’s flagship nuclear laboratory, and today’s launch of the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) is just another example of the lab’s world-class leadership in developing advanced nuclear technologies,” said Senator Risch.  “It’s particularly fortuitous that today’s announcement of the NRIC comes on the Lab’s 70th anniversary, and this new center will soon become a part of the INL’s extraordinary history. Congratulations to the INL, and I look forward to seeing the Lab’s continued innovation, leadership, and progress.” 

NEICA, signed into law last September, directed the DOE and its national laboratories to improve coordination between the federal government and private sector developers to accelerate new scientific discoveries in the area of nuclear energy.  Among its provisions, the legislation authorized the construction of a National Reactor Innovation Center where this public-private collaboration to test and demonstrate new, advanced nuclear technologies and concepts can take place.  NRIC will be housed at the Idaho National Laboratory according to today’s announcement from the Senators and the Department of Energy. 

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