The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station a $5.4 million grant to develop reactor fuel technology, according to an announcement by Deputy Energy Secretary James P. Danly on Oct. 29.
The project, called Turning Nuclear Waste into Fuel with a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor, is led by Dr. Lin Shao, a professor in Texas A&M's nuclear engineering department. Researchers from the Savannah River National Laboratory and industry partner Natura Resources are also involved. The work focuses on managing used nuclear fuel and its long-lived radioactive parts.
Danly announced the award during a visit to the Texas A&M campus. Texas A&M University President Dr. Susan Ballabina said the university is proud to contribute research that addresses complex energy challenges.