DOE turns to private sector to build out spent nuclear fuel recycling

The Department of Energy on April 22 issued two requests for applications seeking proposals from private industry on kickstarting the reprocessing and recycling of spent nuclear fuel in the United States.

According to the DOE, the RFAs represent an unprecedented opportunity for the private sector to restore the nation's nuclear leadership.

The separate proposals were issued through the DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy and Office of Environmental Management and are intended to support President Trump's Executive Order (EO) 14299, "Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security," and EO 14302, "Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base."

Both RFAs have a response date of June 19, although the government intends to leave the DOE-NE RFA open to rolling submissions.

The DOE is not providing funding for either RFA, and applicants will be responsible for all project costs. The DOE anticipates entering agreements with selected applicants using its other transaction authority for both RFAs. Similar agreement parameters were used by the DOE in 2025 for the Reactor Pilot Program and the Fuel Line Pilot Program.

DOE-NE'sRFA:DOE-NE is seeking proposals from industry on plans to leverage the department's authorization process to design, construct, and operate nuclear fuel recycling, reprocessing, and fabrication facilities to support the deployment of advanced reactors and accelerate nuclear material recycling technologies.

The DOE may provide resources that include access to department sites and facilities for testing and deployment, the use of DOE-owned spent fuel for prototype testing or recycling, and access to expertise at DOE national laboratories.

For more information on DOE-NE's RFA, visit the Advanced Nuclear Fuel Recycling Program webpage.

DOE-EM'sRFA:DOE-EM is seeking proposals from private industry for a commercial-scale demonstration of recycling defense-related spent fuel at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) at the Idaho National Laboratory site.

According to DOE-EM, the selected applicant will be entrusted with the full life cycle of a dedicated recycling facility-encompassing its financing, design, permitting, fabrication, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning. A long-term lease of DOE land on the north side of INTEC will be provided for the facility.

During the initial phase of the project, the DOE intends to make available some spent fuel from INL's Advanced Test Reactor for the demonstration. The DOE also may consider providing limited quantities of irradiated material that are representative of other types of available defense-related spent fuel.

DOE-EM will sponsor an Industry Day event, currently anticipated for May 27, to explain and answer questions about the solicitation process for its RFA. Potential attendees should email Aaron S. Nebeker at [email protected] for more information on attending.

Quotes: "Used nuclear fuel represents immense, untapped energy resource for the United States," said DOE-NE Assistant Secretary Ted Garrish. "These efforts are designed to deliver reliable power, reduce waste volumes, and re-energize the commercial nuclear sector to secure American energy dominance."

"By unleashing the power of private industry, we will fast-track the development of advanced fuel cycle capabilities essential for the responsible management of our defense used nuclear fuel," said DOE-EM Assistant Secretary Tim Walsh. "This is a critical step in strengthening our domestic nuclear infrastructure and cementing America's place as the global leader in nuclear technology."