The Department of Energy (DOE) announced on January 15 that it was awarding up to $40 million each in cost-shared funding to Southern Co. and X-Energy to “support work to address key technical challenges to the design, construction, and operation of next generation nuclear reactors.” It also announced on January 18 that it was awarding $18 million to six projects that will develop combined solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage systems.
The nuclear-targeted funds were awarded under the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative announced by President Obama November 6 at the White House Summit on Nuclear Energy. The administration said GAIN is intended to accelerate the commercialization of advanced nuclear reactor systems through expanded access to technical, regulatory, and financial support. In addition to funding, GAIN aims to reduce regulatory challenges and promote better sharing of information and research.
