Advanced Nuclear Energy Programs

Generation IV

Today, 441 nuclear power reactors in 31 countries generate 17 percent of the world's electricity without emitting noxious gases into the atmosphere. Concerns over energy resource availability, climate change, air quality, and energy security suggest an important role for nuclear power in the future. While the current Generation II and III nuclear power plant designs provide a secure and low-cost electricity supply for nearly 1 billion people, further advances in nuclear energy system design can broaden the opportunities for the use of nuclear energy. To explore these opportunities, the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology has engaged governments, industry, and the research community worldwide in a wide-ranging discussion on the development of next generation nuclear energy systems known as "Generation IV."

Los Alamos is supporting Generation IV by testing lead coolants in its unique DELTA facility for the Lead Fast Reactor Program, and by investigating materials compatibility and corrosion in supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle applications in collaboration with MIT for the cross-cutting Energy Conversion Program.

Read the Generation IV Technology Roadmap

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