National Reactor Innovation Center

07/17/2026

🚀 The National Reactor Innovation Center's DOME test bed at Idaho National Laboratory is officially open for business — and it's already making history.

Radiant is currently prepping to test their Kaleidos Demonstration Unit, marking the first fueled microreactor experiment to run at this one-of-a-kind facility. DOME can host reactors generating up to 20 MW of thermal energy, giving advanced nuclear developers a real, purpose-built path from concept to demonstration.

The window for the next wave of developers is closing soon — NRIC's RFA for DOME access closes July 17.

So the question is: who's testing next? 👀

07/16/2026

The National Reactor Innovation Center at Idaho National Laboratory has quietly become one of the most important players in the U.S. advanced nuclear ecosystem — helping companies clear the path from design to demonstration.

Thanks Rod Adams at the Atomic Show for sitting down with Josh Gillespie, NRIC's Chief Operating Officer, to talk through what the center does, how it works with reactor developers, and where the U.S. advanced nuclear buildout stands right now.

🎧 Listen: https://brnw.ch/21x4bKT

07/14/2026

⚛️ Testing the future of nuclear energy — one microreactor at a time.

The National Reactor Innovation Center's (NRIC) Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) is purpose-built test bed at Idaho National Laboratory. Built around the containment system of the decommissioned Experimental Breeder Reactor-II, DOME gives developers a safe, controlled environment to test experimental reactors up to 20 megawatts thermal using high-assay low-enriched uranium, generating the data needed for reactor optimization, safety analysis, and eventual commercial deployment.

As NRIC Director Brad Tomer put it, the test bed was built to answer industry's need for a facility that would enable them to swiftly convert innovative concepts into practical demonstrations, so reactor developers can turn pioneering ideas into validated technologies that advance nuclear energy.

DOME plays a role in reinvigorating the American nuclear energy industry and meeting the nation's need for abundant, affordable, and reliable power. It's a clear example of how NRIC is bridging the gap between promising microreactor designs and real-world commercialization.

🔗 https://brnw.ch/21x47Qt

Nuclear energy is about to play a huge role in powering up America ...

07/10/2026

From maritime applications to the newly established Nuclear Energy Launch Pad, NRIC is fulfilling its mission to work with industry and national laboratories to bridge the gap between concept, demonstration, and commercialization of advanced nuclear technology.

NRIC is truly guiding the new era of research and deployment!

Read more about it --> https://brnw.ch/21x42ji

07/09/2026

🎉 A milestone for American nuclear innovation 🎉

Two weeks ago NRIC gathered with thousands at the Mountain America Center to celebrate the Golden Era of Nuclear Power, we were on the cusp of meeting the goal set by President Trump's May 2025 executive order calling for at least three DOE-authorized reactors to hit criticality.

Today, not only did we succeed in reaching this goal, but it was exceeded! This isn't just a win for the developers — it's a win for the entire model of public-private partnership in advanced nuclear. The National Reactor Innovation Center played a role in each of the criticalities achieved. NRIC ensured these developers had the resources, regulatory support, and expertise needed to go from breaking ground to a self-sustaining chain reaction in record time.

This is what it looks like when national lab infrastructure meets startup speed.

https://brnw.ch/21x40DI

07/04/2026

🎆 250 Years of American Ingenuity. A New Chapter in American Energy. 🎆

As our nation celebrates 250 years of independence, NRIC is proud to celebrate a milestone of our own: three privately developed advanced reactors have now achieved criticality — meeting the goal set out in Executive Order 14301 to reach this milestone by July 4, 2026.

From the Reactor Pilot Program to the launch of our Nuclear Energy Launch Pad, NRIC and our partners at DOE have been building the pathways for America's nuclear renaissance — faster, more flexible, and ready to power the next 250 years.

Here's to the innovators, engineers, and partners making it happen. ⚛️

06/29/2026

At NRIC, our mission is simple: close the gap between a promising idea and a proven technology.

That means giving developers the infrastructure, the expertise, and the runway to transform pioneering concepts into validated reactors — ready for deployment, ready for the grid, ready for the future.

Idaho National Laboratory's The Road to Advanced Nuclear documentary captures exactly why that mission has never mattered more.

Watch it -->

In 1951, four small lightbulbs flickered to life in the Idaho deser...

06/11/2026

Have questions about some of the trending topics in nuclear? Or maybe people have asked you about nuclear.

Idaho National Laboratory has created some great resources, including a 'trending topics' webpage about nuclear. It also includes information about NRIC's test beds, initiatives and other programs we support.

Check it out -->

Learn how microreactors work, where they can be deployed and how Idaho National Laboratory is helping advance their development.

06/09/2026

Special thanks to Brennan Moore and the Nuclear Investing Podcast for the opportunity to talk about NRIC!

It's great to share about the initiatives - including the newly created Nuclear Energy Launch Pad - and all the support and facilities NRIC provides to developers to advance nuclear energy.

Every day the NRIC team is working to accomplish its mission to bridge the gap between concept and commercialization. And every day we're seeing the fruits of that labor!

Josh Gillespie, COO of the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC...

06/08/2026

🤝 Great partnerships make great work possible.

During the installation of the Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) crane, Idaho National Laboratory and the National Reactor Innovation Center reached out to a neighboring organization — the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program’s Naval Reactors Facility — to borrow 100 tons of certified load test weights critical to putting the crane into use. Rather than letting a resource gap delay the project, our team did what the nuclear community does best: leverage trusted relationships to get the job done safely and on schedule.

The test weights played a key role in the crane's certification, ensuring DOME is equipped and ready to support the next generation of nuclear energy demonstrations.

As a small token of our appreciation, we were glad to host the Naval Reactors Facility team and the Naval Reactors Idaho Branch Office for a special tour of the DOME facility.

Thank you to Naval Reactors and the Naval Reactors Facility for your partnership and support. This is what collaboration in the nuclear community looks like. 💪