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University Nuclear Infrastructure (UNI)
This program brings together several program elements supporting the increasingly vital university nuclear engineeing infrastructure. Program elements include:
Innovations in Nuclear Infrastructure and Education (INIE): This program strengthens the Nation's university nuclear engineering education programs through innovative use of the university research and training reactors and encouraging strategic partnerships among the universities, the DOE national laboratories, and U.S. industry. Currently there are 6 university consortia providing support for 38 universities in 26 states under the INIE program. Click here to view to view a list of INIE participants.
Reactor Fuel Assistance - The Department provides fresh fuel to, and takes back spent fuel from, university research reactors. There are currently 27 operating university research reactors at 26 institutions in the United States. Many of these facilities have permanent fuel cores and therefore do not require regular fuel shipments. However, DOE supplies approximately a dozen universities with fresh fuel and shipments of spent fuel as needed. These reactors are unique and irreplaceable assets for technical education and are used for a variety of research, educational and training purposes. Currently, a program is underway cooperating with the National Nuclear Security Administration to convert the reactors with highly enriched uranium to low enriched uranium. This activity will continue to be funded in FY 2007 under the Research Reactor Infrastructure program in the Radiological Facilities Management budget.
Reactor Upgrades - The Department provides assistance to universities to improve the operational and experimental capabilities of their research reactors. Grants are provided to the universities to purchase equipment and services necessary to upgrade the reactor facilities, such as reactor instrumentation and control equipment, data recording devices, radiation, security, and air monitoring equipment, and gamma spectroscopy hardware and software. Each year up to 26 universities are eligible to receive this assistance. In October 2006, the Department will issue a Solicitation for the FY 2007 Reactor Upgrades program. The new solicitation will be available on the Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS)(http://e-center.doe.gov). Click here to view a list of recipient awards for FY 2006.
Reactor Sharing - Through this assistance effort, the Department enables universities with reactors to "share" access to their facilities with students and faculty at other institutions who lack such a facility. The reactors are made available for use in research, experiments, material irradiations, neutron activation analysis and training, and for facility tours and other educational activities. In October 2006, the Department will issue a Solicitation for the FY 2007 Reactor Sharing program. The new solicitation will be available on the Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS)(http://e-center.doe.gov). Click here to view a list of recipient awards for FY 2006.
For further information, please contact the
Office of Nuclear Energy, NE-40
19901 Germantown Road
Germantown, Maryland 20874-1290
E-Mail: NE Webmaster
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