Progress in HTGR Fuel Development

NGNP project in the USA: - Initiated in 2005 following the Energy Policy Act - HTGR with process heat application (hydrogen) to be ready by 2021 - Lead institution: INL - NGNP Industrial Alliance joined by 33 industry partners - Two reactor concepts (pebble and block), with termination of PBMR, pebble version withdrawn later - Over one decade, >1 billion US$ spent by industry on technology development, > 0.5 billion US$ by US-DOE on fuel development, graphite qualification, material research, mainly INL, ORNL - Since 2011 downgraded to an R&D program DOE withdrew from commitment to build the NGNP - No agreement achieved between industries and DOE on funding formula