Storied company makes breakthrough on microreactor
Westinghouse Electric Company has completed the front-end engineering and experiment design (FEEED) phase to test a prototype of its eVinciTM microreactor at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), according to a September 16 press release from the DOE.
The eVinci microreactor is one of three designs that could potentially start testing at the lab in the world’s first microreactor test bed as early as 2026.
A Phased Path to Testing
The FEEED process is intended to support developers in design and planning for the fabrication, construction, and potential testing of fueled reactor experiments at the DOME test bed operated by the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC).
Westinghouse was one of three companies competitively selected last year to complete the FEEED process, which includes developing a detailed schedule, budget, design, and test plan for the experiment, as well as a detailed preliminary safety report on its design to ensure safe operations during testing.
“Completing the FEEED process marks a critical step to bringing the Westinghouse eVinci Microreactor to commercial operation,” said Jon Ball, President of eVinci Technologies at Westinghouse. “We are targeting deployment of multiple eVinci microreactors across the world by the end of the decade, and the strong and continued partnership with NRIC, INL, and the Department of Energy is instrumental to our efforts.”
Westinghouse will continue to work with NRIC to finalize the design and planning for the eVinci experiment. The company will also start securing long-lead procurement items in preparation for potential installation at DOME.
Radiant and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation are also on track to complete the FEEED process before the end of the year.
Heat pipes transfer heat out of the eVinci microreactor’s core and allow for air cooling without using water or pressurized gas.
eVinci Microreactor
The eVinci microreactor is one of several designs receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.
The commercial heat-pipe cooled microreactor is designed to produce 5 megawatts of electricity on sites as small as two acres of land and will operate for 8 or more years before refueling.
The eVinci microreactor is expected to support broad applications ranging from powering remote communities to mining operations and data centers.
In 2023, Westinghouse announced an agreement to locate an eVinci microreactor in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Testing at DOME
Westinghouse, Radiant, and Ultra Safe Nuclear will continue to prepare for the potential testing of their fueled reactor experiments for the first time at the DOME test bed. The facility is currently being renovated at the former EBR-II containment structure at INL to help lower the risk of developing new reactor technologies.
DOME is operated by NRIC, a U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy program dedicated to bringing together industry and the national labs to help advanced reactor designs move from the conceptual stage to demonstration stage on the path to deployment and commercialization.
Learn more about NRIC at nric.inl.gov.