Government sector activities to reduce thermal-spectrum molten salt breeder reactor investment risk

Holcomb, David Eugene; Retamales, Mauricio Eduardo Tano

doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114184

Government sector activities to reduce thermal-spectrum molten salt breeder reactor investment risk

Journal Article · Sat May 31 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Nuclear Engineering and Design

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114184· OSTI ID:2575547

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Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Thermal-Spectrum Molten Salt Breeder Reactors (TS-MSBRs) have long been recognized as having high potential for clean, safe, large-scale, cost-effective energy production for the foreseeable future. U.S. government support for TS-MSBR development was stopped half a century ago in the belief that they were too technically difficult. Technology progression over the past several decades as well as the pressing need for clean power on-demand provides incentives to reconsider the development program cancellation. Limited, early-stage, government sector activities have the potential to sufficiently reduce investor risk to trigger the private sector investment necessary to commercialize the reactor class. In conclusion, these activities are summarized in this article.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517

OSTI ID:: 2575547

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU--25-82960

Journal Information:: Nuclear Engineering and Design, Journal Name: Nuclear Engineering and Design Vol. 441; ISSN 0029-5493

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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