NuScale Power announced a partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to advance AI-guided nuclear fuel strategies. The collaboration aims to improve fuel efficiency, lower costs, and strengthen clean energy production.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative funds the research. Moreover, the program provides technical and financial support to accelerate nuclear technology commercialization. This project is part of the first round of GAIN vouchers awarded for fiscal year 2026.
AI-Guided Nuclear Fuel Research Moves Forward
NuScale and ORNL will apply artificial intelligence and machine learning to study fuel management for a 12–NuScale Power Module™ configuration. Traditionally, operators optimize fuel for single reactors. However, this study focuses on managing fuel across multiple reactors at one site.
NuScale’s multi-module design allows reactors to share a common fuel pool. Therefore, operators can explore new ways to improve plant-wide efficiency beyond traditional systems.
AI Drives Smarter Reactor Operations
ORNL will contribute expertise in computational science, machine learning, and fuel analytics. Meanwhile, NuScale will use proven off-the-shelf fuel assemblies to test optimization models. As a result, the teams expect to identify smarter fuel distribution strategies.
Greater efficiency could reduce operating costs. In addition, it may support the growing global demand for reliable and carbon-free energy.
Partnership Supports Clean Energy Goals
John Hopkins, President and CEO of NuScale, said the partnership highlights the company’s commitment to reliable clean power. Furthermore, he noted that advanced computational science can unlock more efficient fuel solutions for multi-module plants.
Energy demand continues to rise worldwide. Consequently, the AI-guided nuclear fuel initiative demonstrates how advanced analytics can modernize reactor operations and support sustainable power generation.
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