Nano Nuclear Energy said April 9 it received a U.S. Department of Energy GAIN voucher, its second such award overall and its first tied to the Kronos MMR energy system.
The voucher, NE-26-38854, will fund work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory on “Uncertainty Quantification and Sensitivity Analysis Support for Nano Nuclear Reactor Design Using ORNL’s Tools – SCALE/TSUNAMI.”
The company said the project will use ORNL’s SCALE/TSUNAMI code suite to measure how changes in nuclear data, modeling assumptions and operating conditions affect reactor physics outputs, including reactivity, power distribution and temperature coefficients. Nano Nuclear said the goal is to build a validated uncertainty-quantification framework for Kronos, a first-of-a-kind advanced reactor.
Management said the award follows site-characterization work already completed for the Kronos MMR in partnership with the University of Illinois.
Nano Nuclear said the collaboration is intended to strengthen confidence in design margins, reduce regulatory uncertainty and support pre-licensing engagement with the DOE and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The company said the work will accelerate design maturation as it moves Kronos through construction, licensing and eventual deployment.
The company did not disclose a dollar value for the voucher, saying GAIN awards provide funding to DOE laboratories rather than direct cash to recipients. Following these announcements, the company's shares moved -3.6%, and are now trading at a price of $21.15. For the full picture, make sure to review Nano Nuclear Energy's 8-K report.
