Key Issues

The industry and the federal government are jointly funding projects to make new reactors available as a clean energy source to help meet growing electricity demand in the United States.

In 2002, DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology created the Generation IV reactor initiative to develop new plant designs that minimize waste and are even safer and more proliferation-resistant than today’s nuclear plant designs. Generation IV reactors are advanced technologies expected to go into commercial use around 2030.

Congress authorized continued funding for this research in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The legislation set aside $2.9 billion for nuclear research and development and hydrogen projects, including $1.6 billion for general nuclear energy research and development, which supports the Generation IV reactor initiative and other advanced technology programs. Generation IV systems are projected to be available as prototypes in the next decade.

• DOE's Generation IV program