Fiscal Year 2024 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research

A. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

This FOA is for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) and is thus referred to in this document as the CINR FOA.

A.1 Background and Objectives

The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) mission is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental, and economic needs. NE has identified the following goals to address challenges in the nuclear energy sector, help realize the potential of advanced technology, and leverage the unique role of the government in spurring innovation:

Keep existing U.S. nuclear reactors operating

Deploy new nuclear reactors

Secure and sustain our nuclear fuel cycle

Expand international nuclear energy cooperation

NE strives to promote integrated and collaborative research conducted by national laboratory, university, industry, and international partners under the direction of NE's programs, and to deploy innovative nuclear energy technologies to the market and to optimize the benefits of nuclear energy.

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 the four mission priorities and highlight how it supports the DOE priorities. Applications focused specifically in areas not of interest to the NE mission, such as fusion energy, medical physics, nuclear forensics, or environmental management, will not be reviewed or considered.

This CINR FOA provides competitive R&D opportunities through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) and the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF). NEUP supports university-led infrastructure and R&D projects relevant to the NE mission. NSUF provides access to material test reactors, beam lines, and post-irradiation examination facilities to researchers from U.S. universities, industry, and national laboratories.

NE reserves the right to respond to potential shifts in R&D priorities during Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 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.