DOE Nuclear Energy awards three GAIN vouchers

The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy announced on June 5 that it has awarded vouchers to three nuclear companies from its Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) program to research nuclear fuel and materials.

The DOE’s GAIN vouchers allow for companies to use research facilities and expertise through DOE’s national laboratories to progress advanced nuclear projects, according to the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy’s June 5 press release.

The three companies awarded were:

• AiMiLight Sensors and Intelligent Systems Inc. (based in Pittsburgh, Penn.)
• Hayward Tyler, Inc. (based in Colchester, Vt.)
• Standard Nuclear Inc. (based in Oak Ridge, Tenn.)

Through the GAIN voucher, AiMiLight Sensors and Intelligent Systems will work with DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to test out the company’s prototype “smart” cable. The fiber-embedded electric cable could assist nuclear plants in transitioning to condition-based maintenance of electric cables in severe environments, the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy said.

The Colchester-based Hayward Tyler company will work with the Argonne National Laboratory to test new materials for use in sodium-cooled fast reactor pumps to find alternatives to cobalt alloys.  

The DOE Office of Nuclear Energy said the experiment could reduce U.S. dependence on China-sourced cobalt and strengthen the country’s supply chain.

Standard Nuclear Inc. will work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to readjust its alternative approach to further elemental content in ceramic-coated TRISO fuel kernels to lower the cost and inadequacies with its current destructive testing methods.

While the GAIN program provides the nuclear industry technical, regulatory and financial support to the developers, the voucher recipients do not receive direct financial awards, the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy said.

The GAIN vouchers provide funding to DOE laboratories to help companies overcome technological and commercialization challenges. The awardees are also responsible for a minimum 20% cost share, according to the press release.

This is the second round of GAIN vouchers awarded in fiscal 2025, the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy said.