Fiscal Year 2023 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research

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The mission of the Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) is to advance U.S. nuclear power to meet the nation's energy needs by: 1. Enhancing the long-term viability and competitiveness of the existing U.S. reactor fleet; 2. Developing an advanced reactor pipeline; and, 3. Implementing and maintaining the national strategic fuel cycle and supply chain infrastructure. Collectively, all NE-sponsored activities support the Department’s priorities to combat the climate crisis, create clean energy jobs with the free and fair chance to join a union and bargain collectively, and promote equity and environmental justice by delivering innovative clean energy technologies for nuclear energy systems. All applications submitted under this CINR FOA must demonstrate a strong tie to at least one of these three mission priorities and highlight how it supports the DOE priorities. NE conducts crosscutting nuclear energy research and development (R&D) and associated infrastructure support activities to develop innovative technologies that offer the promise of dramatically improved performance for its mission needs as stated above, while maximizing the impact of NE resources. This CINR FOA addresses the competitive portion of NE’s R&D portfolio, as executed through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) and the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF). NEUP supports university-based infrastructure and R&D in areas relevant to the NE mission. By establishing the NSUF in 2007, NE opened access to material test reactors, beam lines, and post-irradiation examination facilities to researchers from U.S. universities, industry, and national laboratories, by granting no-cost access to world-class nuclear research facilities. While this CINR FOA specifies many of NE’s current and upcoming R&D priorities, NE reserves the right to respond to potential shifts in R&D priorities during Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 that may be driven by events, policy developments, or Congressional/budget direction. Further, NE reserves the right to fund all or part of an application to this CINR FOA.

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