Idaho National Laboratory Selects Teams for Groundbreaking MARVEL Experiments

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has announced the initial selections for the Microreactor Application Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) experiments. This initiative will explore innovative applications for advanced nuclear technologies, with an emphasis on harnessing their potential to address pressing global challenges. Five teams have been competitively chosen to engage in various test cases, including desalination in remote areas and the use of advanced sensors.

These experiments represent a significant step towards demonstrating the viability of using nuclear energy to power data centers, a crucial capability in the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. The efforts align with the directives established during the Trump administration to foster private sector innovation and expedite the deployment of commercial nuclear technologies.

John Jackson, the national technical director for the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy’s Microreactor Program, highlighted the unique support for public sector innovation in nuclear energy in the United States. He stated, “With access to MARVEL, companies can explore how microreactors will potentially help us win the global AI race, solve water challenges and so much more.” Jackson emphasized that the MARVEL testbed exemplifies how nuclear energy can contribute to a more robust and prosperous future.

Details of the MARVEL Microreactor

The MARVEL microreactor, developed by the Department of Energy, features a sodium-potassium cooling system and is designed to generate 85 kilowatts of thermal energy and up to 20 kilowatts of electricity. This microreactor will be stationed at the Transient Reactor Test Facility at INL, providing a platform for private sector entities to demonstrate innovative use cases for the technology.

The selected companies are now tasked with collaborating with Department of Energy and national laboratory staff to formulate implementation plans for their proposed projects. The first potential end users for MARVEL include:

– **Amazon Web Services Inc.**: Proposing to integrate MARVEL with a modular data center, facilitating a self-sustaining and rapidly deployable system for defense and government operations.
– **DCX USA and Arizona State University**: Aiming to utilize MARVEL to power a data center focused on artificial intelligence, gathering valuable data on maintaining a stable power supply for AI processing.
– **General Electric Vernova**: Planning to demonstrate remote and autonomous reactor operations, while establishing control standards for the application of this technology in commercial reactors.
– **Radiation Detection Technologies Inc.**: Intending to test advanced sensor technologies that could enhance monitoring capabilities for advanced reactors.
– **Shepherd Power, NOV, and ConocoPhillips**: Seeking to conduct a pilot-scale desalination project using nuclear-generated process heat to address water challenges in the oil and gas sector.

Future Prospects and Next Steps

The teams will collaborate with experts from national laboratories to assess the feasibility of their proposed applications using MARVEL. If successful, this collaboration may lead to the opportunity for practical demonstrations. Final agreements for the proposed projects are expected to be announced in the coming year.

This initiative positions the United States at the forefront of nuclear innovation, showcasing its commitment to leveraging advanced technologies for sustainable solutions in energy and resource management. The outcomes of these experiments could have significant implications for both the nuclear energy landscape and the broader challenges of the 21st century.