In July, the Westinghouse eVinci® microreactor was conditionally selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for testing in the National Reactor Innovation Center’s (NRIC) Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) facility at Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
“We appreciate the opportunity to use the DOME test bed to test the design of our eVinci microreactor to advance Westinghouse’s commitment to delivering innovative, resilient energy solutions,” said Lou Martinez Sancho, Westinghouse Chief Technology Officer. “We look forward to a continued strong partnership with DOE, NRIC and INL.”
The eVinci technology will be among the first microreactors to test in the DOME, which is part of President Trump’s efforts to unleash American nuclear innovation by unlocking a new resource to help lower the risk of developing new reactor technologies in the United States.
The NRIC’s DOME will be the world’s first microreactor test bed and leverages existing infrastructure at INL to safely house and test fueled reactor experiments that produce up to 20 megawatts of thermal energy. The eVinci test reactor is a scaled 3MWt heat pipe microreactor designed to demonstrate key portions of the eVinci design and enable the development of the larger commercial eVinci microreactor.
The eVinci microreactor builds on decades of industry-leading Westinghouse innovation to bring carbon-free, safe and scalable energy wherever it is needed for a variety of applications, including providing reliable electricity and heating for remote communities, universities, mining operations, industrial centers, data centers, and defense facilities, and soon the lunar surface and beyond. The resilient eVinci microreactor has very few moving parts, working essentially as a battery, providing the versatility for power systems ranging from several kilowatts to 5 megawatts of electricity, delivered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for eight or more years without refueling, and has the flexibility to balance renewable output. The technology is factory-built and assembled before it is shipped in a container.
Watch the video below to learn more about the eVinci microreactor.
