The White House says President Trump’s biggest achievements in his energy dominance agenda are all about nuclear energy.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy underscored the president’s achievements Wednesday in a report that highlights a number of scientific advancements made under Trump’s watch.
The biggest energy achievements were on nuclear power, not coal, oil, or natural gas, which are typically promoted as key parts of the administration’s energy dominance agenda.
The report linked Trump’s recently released nuclear policy review, which has much to do with nuclear weapons, with moving the country closer to energy dominance. Trump issued a directive in June ordering his administration to look for ways to expand nuclear power domestically.
“The White House is leading the nuclear policy review, which includes a focus on restoring U.S. nuclear [research and development] capabilities and enabling innovation in the development and deployment of new reactors,” the new report read.
It also pointed out that on Nov. 13, Energy Secretary Rick Perry authorized national lab contractors to strike agreements with the private sector on nuclear technology licensing to help commercialize new reactors.
“The authorization adds a new and powerful technology transfer tool to help unleash American energy innovation by removing barriers for businesses and other entities interested in working with DOE’s National Laboratories,” the report said.
It also pointed out that Trump reopened a program that had been dormant for 23 years, which will boost nuclear power research and development.
“For the first time in 23 years, the U.S. Department of Energy has resumed operations at the Transient Reactor Test Facility,” the White House said. “TREAT is a crucial part of the nation’s nuclear [research and development] infrastructure, and provides the capability to test nuclear reactor fuels and materials under extreme conditions. Such testing can help to improve safety and performance of the current and future nuclear reactor fleet.”
The TREAT reactor at the Idaho National Lab operated for 35 years until it was closed under former President Bill Clinton. The TREAT website said the Energy Department had been considering reopening the test reactor, which is used to experiment with new nuclear power plant fuels.
The TREAT reactor was built to test fuels for what are known as fast reactors, or fast breeder reactors, which produce much less waste than conventional reactors.
Fast reactors are also about 200 times more efficient in fuel use compared to conventional light-water reactors. Many fast reactor designs also use liquid metal, such as sodium and bismuth, for cooling, instead of water. That enables them to function at higher temperatures.
While the TREAT reactor was constructed to test fast reactor fuels, it also can be used to test fuels used in light water reactor designs, as well as other “exotic special purpose fuels” such as those used in space flight, according to the Idaho National Lab website.
