Idaho Lab Gets $7M to Test Molten Salt Fuel
The Idaho National Laboratory will test chloride fuel salts containing recycled transuranic elements for molten salt reactors under a federal award.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Nuclear
The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) awarded $7 million to Idaho National Laboratory for the Irradiation of Molten Plutonium Actinide Chloride Fuels and Testing project, known as IMPACT. The award is one of eight projects selected from a $50 million ARPA-E program focused on next-generation nuclear fuels.
Why it matters
Molten salt reactors could be a path to producing large amounts of energy from recycled nuclear materials. The research is funded by the national laboratories and the Department of Energy to address work industry cannot do alone, including handling nuclear materials.
The award is one of eight projects drawn from a $50 million ARPA-E investment in next-generation nuclear fuels. Testing results are not yet available, as the three-year project is scheduled to start in 2027.
The players
Idaho National Laboratory
A U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory in Idaho that conducts nuclear energy research and is the site of the IMPACT testing.
ARPA-E
The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, a federal agency within the Department of Energy that funds high-risk, high-reward energy technology research.
Argonne National Laboratory
A Department of Energy national laboratory in Illinois that is a partner on the IMPACT project.
Southern Company
A major U.S. energy company that is a partner on the IMPACT project.
The details
IMPACT will test chloride fuel salts containing recycled transuranic elements at INL's Materials & Fuels Complex, using the Molten Salt Thermophysical Examination Capability (MSTEC). Experiments take place in hot cell boxes, where researchers manipulate samples with robotic arms or gloved hands, and the data will feed into models of advanced test reactors. Partners include Argonne National Laboratory, Moltex Energy USA LLC and Southern Company.
Timeline
Monday morning, approximately November 2, 2026: ARPA-E announces the $7 million award to INL.
2027: IMPACT project is scheduled to begin.
After 2030: The project may be extended.
Big Picture
The IMPACT award is one of eight projects funded under ARPA-E's High-performance Optimized Recycled Nuclear Isotopes for Gen IV Reactors program, a $50 million investment in next-generation nuclear fuels. It extends that program's focus on recycling nuclear materials into molten salt reactor fuel.
Molten salt reactor fuels could eventually provide a new source of nuclear power from recycled materials. The IMPACT project's testing will not produce practical results until its planned 2027 start and three-year duration.
The takeaway
Federal funding for molten salt reactor research is moving from design toward physical testing of recycled fuels. Results from Idaho's hot cell experiments will shape which fuel chemistries advance to test reactors.
Further reading
For more on the research behind this award, see Nuclear coverage.
