Katy Huff

D r. Kathryn D. Huff serves as the Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy. Prior to her current role, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she led the Advanced Reactors and Fuel Cycles Research Group. She was also a Blue Waters Assistant Professor with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.

Before joining the Department of Energy, Dr. Huff was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she led the Advanced Reactors and Fuel Cycles Research Group and taught reactor theory and the future of energy. She was also a Blue Waters Assistant Professor with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. She was previously a Postdoctoral Fellow in both the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium and the Berkeley Institute for Data Science at the University of California - Berkeley.

Dr. Huff received her Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2013 and her undergraduate degree in Physics from the University of Chicago. Her research focused on modeling and simulation of advanced nuclear reactors and fuel cycles.

She is an active member of the American Nuclear Society, Chair of the Nuclear Nonproliferation and Policy Division, a past chair of the Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Division, and recipient of both the Young Member Excellence and Mary Jane Oestmann Professional Women's Achievement awards. Through leadership within Software Carpentry, SciPy, the Hacker Within, and the Journal of Open Source Software, she also advocates for best practices in open, reproducible scientific computing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnsOPodptHQ&t=86s

_______________

Sources:

University of Illinois Alumni: In Class Power Source: Nuclear engineer Katy Huff on teaching with IPythons, reactor theory and the future of energy
DOE Office of Nuclear Energy: Dr. Kathryn Huff, Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary.

Published by editor in Brilliant thinkers, History-making, Nuclear R&D, Women in Nuclear, WOMEN IN NUCLEAR GRID

March 1, 2022

Rita Baranwal

Dr. Rita Baranwal was nominated by the President to serve as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy (ONE) and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 20, 2019 (by a vote of 86 to 5), becoming the first woman to ever lead the Office of Nuclear Energy.

In that role, Dr. Baranwal directed programs to promote research and development (R&D) on existing and advanced nuclear technologies that sustain the existing U.S. fleet of nuclear reactors, enable the deployment of advanced nuclear energy systems, support nuclear technology for space and defense applications, and enhance the U.S.A.'s global commercial nuclear energy competitiveness. She also:

Launched innovative programs to demonstrate advanced nuclear reactor designs, launched a new U.S. reactor innovation center, and a unique private-public partnership to develop new U.S. nuclear testing capabilities
Collaborated with U.S. intergovernmental agencies (e.g. Departments of State, Commerce, and Treasury, National Security Council, Office of Science & Technology Policy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Development Finance Corporation) to globally deploy new U.S. civil nuclear technology.
Implemented civil nuclear agreements with two countries; initiated civil nuclear agreement discussions with eleven countries.
Partnered with NASA on nuclear technology and expertise for space exploration. Contributed to the National Strategy for Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion, Executive Order on Reactors for Space Exploration, and DOE’s Space Strategy.
Managed Congressionally-enacted budget of $1.5B (FY20).
Served as the Equity in Energy Champion for DOE’s Office of Economic Impact and Diversity.

Following her service as the #1 at ONE, Dr. Baranwal served as the VP of Nuclear and Chief Nuclear Officer for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) for over a year. As of 2022, Dr. Baranwal has returned to Westinghouse as the Chief Technology Officer.

Prior to her appointment to the ONE, Dr. Baranwal served as the director for the DOE's Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) since 2016, an initiative hosted at Idaho National Laboratory. GAIN is the way the U.S. Government connects industry with national laboratories to help commercialize nuclear technologies. Under her leadership, GAIN positively impacted 112 projects and companies.

Before that, Dr. Baranwal worked for Westinghouse in the nuclear fuel division, leading a number of research and development programs. She started her career at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory helping to develop advanced nuclear fuel materials for US naval reactors.

Dr. Baranwal has a bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in materials science and engineering and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in the same discipline from the University of Michigan.

_______________

Sources:

LinkedIn: Dr. Rita Baranwal
NayaFace: Rita Baranwal sworn in as 1st woman US Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at DOE, July 25, 2019.

Published by editor in Brilliant thinkers, History-making, Nuclear R&D, Women in Nuclear, WOMEN IN NUCLEAR GRID

June 30, 2020

Nuclear ‘Power Balls’ May Make Meltdowns a Thing of the Past

Wired Magazine dives deep on TRISO pebble fuel, which consists of particles of an alien-looking fuel with built-in safety features that will safely power a new generation of high-temperature reactors.

Most nuclear reactors today operate well below 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and even the next generation high-temperature reactors will top out at about 2,000 degrees. But during INL tests, researchers demonstrated that triso fuel pellets could withstand reactor temperatures over 3,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Out of 300,000 particles, not a single triso coating failed during the two-week long test. Thus, with new reactor designs, where it’s physically impossible to exceed these temperatures because the reactor automatically shuts down as it reaches these high temperatures, when you take these reactor designs and combine them with a fuel that can handle the heat, you essentially have an accident-proof reactor.

Read more about TRISO fuel at WIRED Magazine: Nuclear ‘Power Balls’ May Make Meltdowns a Thing of the Past.

Published by Nucleation Capital in Energy abundance, Fail-safe fuels, Future of Energy, Government support, History Timeline, LINKS, Nuclear competitiveness, Nuclear innovation, Nuclear R&D, Private companies, Public companies, US competitiveness, US technological leadership, Zero emission energy

January 23, 2020

Christine King named Director of Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear

Christine King, a member of the Nucleation Capital team, was selected to serve as the director of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative, effective February 17, 2020. As director, Ms. King will lead efforts on behalf of the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy to provide the nuclear community with access to the technical, regulatory and financial support necessary to move innovative nuclear energy technologies toward commercialization. We will miss her but we congratulate Christine and wish her extremely well in her exciting new role.

Read more in the INL Press Release: "Christine King named director of Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear"

Published by Valerie Gardner in Future of Energy, Government support, NEWS, Nuclear competitiveness, Nuclear innovation, Nuclear R&D

August 1, 2019

Venerable venture capitalist, Ray Rothrock, backs advanced nuclear ventures

Ray Rothrock, the venture capitalist with the most experience backing advanced nuclear ventures, has agreed to serve as an advisor to Nucleation Capital. Ray led Venrock's investment in Tri Alpha Energy in 2005 and sits on the TAE board. He personally invested in Transatomic Energy, and served as the chair of the board until the company closed in 2018. Ray has been involved in shifting the conversation about nuclear energy in the US, testifying on behalf of H.R. 4084, the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act, which was ultimately signed into law in 2018, funding the Robert Stone documentary, Pandora's Promise and many other facets of activity.

In 2016, Ray reflected on the role of venture capital in funding advanced nuclear ventures and wrote: "Aren’t we VCs supposed to be ruthlessly focused on finding ideas that we think can be brought to market with reasonable investments and in reasonable periods of time? Of course. But sometimes an opportunity presents itself that, if it works, can change the future forever and for everyone. . . "

Read more of Ray's thinking about the role of venture capital in What’s the Big Idea?, an article he published in the Winter 2016 edition of Issues in Science and Technology.

Published by Nucleation Capital in Climate policy, Future of Energy, Government support, LINKS, Nuclear innovation, Politicians supporting nuclear, Venture capital support for nuclear

March 27, 2019

N.E.L.A. reintroduced, Bill Gates “thrilled”

Bill Gates wrote: “I’m thrilled that senators from both sides of the aisle have come together to support advanced nuclear. This is exactly the kind of leadership our country needs to both solve the climate challenge and reassert our leadership in this important industry,” in response to the re-introduction of the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA), submitted on March 27th, 2019 by a group of 15 senators led by Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

NELA, a bipartisan bill that would encourage further development of advanced nuclear energy programs that would help create high-quality jobs, strengthen national security, reduce foreign energy dependence, and promote emissions-free energy, was also introduced to the House in June 2019, by Congresswoman Elaine Luria (VA-02), Denver Riggleman (VA-05), Congressman Conor Lamb (PA-17), and Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01).

“As an engineer who operated nuclear reactors on aircraft carriers, I know that ensuring a thriving civilian nuclear industry is vital not only for our economy, but for our national security,” Congresswoman Luria said. “Nuclear energy must be part of any solution to transitioning to a clean energy future because nuclear power provides over 55% of our carbon-free energy. That’s why I’m proud to reach across the aisle and introduce this critical bipartisan bill.”

“Yesterday, a bipartisan group of leaders in the US Senate introduced the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act, which establishes an ambitious plan to accelerate the development of advanced nuclear reactor technologies,” Bill Gates tweeted. “I can’t overstate how important this is,” he said.

The draft bill was formally introduced to the Senate by Murkowski on behalf of herself and Senators Cory Booker, James Risch, Joe Manchin, Mike Crapo, Lamar Alexander, Sheldon Whitehouse, Cory Gardner, Chris Coons, Dan Sullivan, Tammy Duckworth, Lindsay Graham, Michael Bennet, Shelley Moore Capito, and Rob Portman. It directs the US Secretary of Energy “to establish advanced nuclear goals, provide for a versatile, reactor-based fast neutron source, make available high-assay, low-enriched uranium for research, development, and demonstration of advanced nuclear reactor concepts, and for other purposes”.

Read SightlineU308's "Bill Gates ‘thrilled’ by legislative boost for nuclear" for more on Gate's response and read here for more about the Nuclear Energy Innovation Modernization Act.

Published by Nucleation Capital in Future of Energy, Government support, LINKS, Nuclear competitiveness, Nuclear innovation, Nuclear R&D, Philanthropic support for nuclear, Politicians supporting nuclear, Regulatory reform

January 14, 2019

NEIMA becomes law

Senate Bill 512, the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (42 U.S.C. 2215; Public Law 115-439) reforming NRC processes to better adapt to Advanced Nuclear, was signed into law on January 14, 2019 with bi-partisan co-sponsors and overwhelming support (voice votes only) in both the House and Senate.

Summary: The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to modify the licensing process for commercial advanced nuclear reactor facilities. In addition, the bill amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to revise how the NRC preserves budgeted funds for conducting and accelerating license reviews of commercial advanced nuclear reactor facilities.

The NRC must implement a licensing process that is designed to be predictable and efficient while conforming to existing NRC regulatory guidelines. The Department of Energy (DOE) must provide cost sharing grants to license applicants for the purpose of funding a portion of the NRC review fees. The NRC must also develop a new technology-inclusive, regulatory framework by the end of 2024 that encourages greater technological innovation for the advanced nuclear reactor program.

The NRC must publish necessary revisions to the guidance on the baseline examination schedule and any subsequent examinations for baffle-former bolts in pressurized water reactors with down-flow configurations.

The NRC may issue licenses for utilization facilities that are used in conducting research and development activities related to nuclear energy. The NRC must report to Congress on the status of the licensing process for accident tolerant fuel.

The NRC must: (1) report to Congress on the safety and feasibility of extending the duration of uranium recovery licenses from 10 to 20 years, and (2) complete a voluntary pilot program to determine the feasibility of establishing a flat fee structure for routine licensing matters relating to uranium recovery.

DOE must issue a long-term federal excess uranium inventory management plan at least every 10 years that details the management of DOE excess uranium inventories.

Published by Nucleation Capital in Future of Energy, Government support, History Timeline, LINKS, Nuclear competitiveness, Nuclear innovation, Nuclear R&D, Politicians supporting nuclear, Regulatory reform

September 28, 2018

NEICA becomes law

Senate Bill 97, the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act of 2017, enabling the use of National Lab facilities to test private advanced nuclear designs, was signed into law on September 28, 2018 with bi-partisan co-sponsors and overwhelming support (voice votes only) in both the House and Senate.

Summary: The bill enables civilian research and development of advanced nuclear energy technologies by private and public institutions by establishing the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) to facilitate the siting of privately funded advanced reactor prototypes at DOE sites through partnerships between the Department of Energy and private industry. In addition, this legislation authorizes an advanced nuclear energy licensing cost-share program to provide grants to developers of advanced reactor technologies in order to help offset the fees charged by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for certain costs related to licensing. The bill directs the DOE to determine the need for a new test reactor, the Versatile Neutron Source, to support research and development of advanced reactor systems by providing access to fast neutron spectrum irradiation capabilities, and directs the agency to construct such a facility by 2025. Finally, S. 97 authorizes the agency to expand capabilities in the area of high-performance computation modeling and simulation techniques for nuclear reactors, leveraging the Department’s existing computational expertise and infrastructure.

Published by Nucleation Capital in Future of Energy, Government support, History Timeline, LINKS, Nuclear innovation, Politicians supporting nuclear

November 6, 2015

Obama launched the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear

Nuclear power generated 60 percent of carbon-free electricity in 2014 and the Obama Administration was committed to combating climate change using all means, including nuclear. The continued development of new and advanced nuclear technologies along with support for currently operating nuclear power plants was seen as an important component of the U.S. clean energy strategy. Investing in the safe and secure development of nuclear power also helps advance other vital policy objectives including economic competitiveness, job creation, enhancing nuclear nonproliferation, nuclear safety and security, and energy security.

Obama’s FY 2016 budget included more than $900 million for the Department of Energy (DOE) to support the U.S. civilian nuclear energy sector. The DOE also supported the deployment of advanced technologies with $12.5 billion in remaining loan guarantee authority for advanced nuclear projects.The DOE’s investments in nuclear energy help secure energy security, economic competitiveness, and environmental responsibility.

The White House also announced that they:

Launched the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear: The Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) to move new or advanced nuclear reactor designs toward commercialization while ensuring the continued safe, reliable, and economic operation of the existing nuclear fleet. GAIN provides a single point of access to the broad range of capabilities – people, facilities, materials, and data – across the DOE complex and its National Lab capabilities. GAIN will feature:
- Access to Capabilities: Through the Clean Energy Investment Center in DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), GAIN will provide a single point of contact for users interested in a wide range of nuclear energy related capabilities and expertise. The Idaho National Lab will serve as the GAIN integrator.
- Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Database: DOE is also publishing the Nuclear Energy Infrastructure database (NEID), which provides a catalogue of existing nuclear energy related infrastructure that will enhance transparency and support nuclear community engagement through GAIN. NEID currently includes information on 802 research and development instruments in 377 facilities at 84 institutions in the United States and abroad.
- Small Business Vouchers: To support new companies working to develop advanced nuclear energy technologies, DOE plans to make $2 million available in the form of vouchers for those seeking to access the knowledge and capabilities available across the DOE complex. This will enhance the ability of GAIN to serve a broader segment of the nuclear community.
- Assist with the Regulatory Process: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will provide DOE with accurate, current information on the NRC’s regulations and licensing processes. DOE will work through GAIN with prospective applicants for advanced nuclear technology to understand and navigate the regulatory process for licensing new reactor technology.
Hosting Workshops on Advanced Non-Light Water Reactors – A successful first workshop was held in September 2015 and the NRC and DOE will hold another Advanced Non-Light Water Reactors Workshop in spring 2016. The workshop will explore options for increased efficiency, from both a technical and regulatory perspective, in the safe development and deployment of innovative reactor technologies, examining both near-term and longer-term opportunities to test, demonstrate, and construct prototype advanced reactors.
Supplementing Loan Guarantee Solicitation for Nuclear Energy: The DOE makes up to $12.5 billion in loan guarantees available to support innovative nuclear energy projects. Previously, eligible projects included construction of advanced nuclear reactors, small modular reactors, uprates and upgrades at existing facilities, and front-end nuclear facilities. Going forward, project costs for an eligible project that are incurred as part of the NRC licensing process, such as design certification, construction permits, and combined construction and operating licenses (COL), are eligible costs that may be financed with a loan guaranteed by DOE.
Establishing Light Water Reactor (LWR) Research, Development, and Deployment Working Group: DOE is formally announcing the establishment of the LWR Research, Development, and Deployment (RDD) Working Group to examine possible needs for future RDD to support the development of competitive advanced LWRs, as well as maintain the safe, efficient operations of currently operating nuclear power plants. The group will consist of federal, national laboratory, and industry participants.
Addressing Small Modular Reactor Needs through Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors: The Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) signed an agreement with NuScale to establish new cost-shared modeling and simulation tools under the CASL Energy Innovation Hub at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. CASL tools will be expanded to better simulate SMR operation and inform design decisions, leading to more efficient reactor designs that improve lifetime operation in a power plant.
Investing in SMR Licensing: In 2012, the DOE began investing to support first-of-a-kind engineering costs associated with certification and licensing activities for SMRs through the NRC. By utilizing cost-share agreements with private industry through a licensing technical support program, DOE supports the domestic development of these innovative nuclear technologies, strengthening American manufacturing capabilities, improving domestic employment opportunities, and creating important export opportunities for the United States.
Designing a Modernized LWR Control Room: DOE is partnering with Arizona Public Service’s Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station to design a modernized control room for an operating commercial LWR. Working together through a cost-shared partnership, DOE’s LWR Sustainability Program and Palo Verde will consider the best way to replace traditional analog systems with digital systems that optimize control room operations.

Read more in the White House Press Release from November 6, 2015 entitled: "FACT SHEET: Obama Administration Announces Actions to Ensure that Nuclear Energy Remains a Vibrant Component of the United States’ Clean Energy Strategy."

Published by Nucleation Capital in Advanced Nuclear, Government support, History Timeline, LINKS, Nuclear competitiveness, Nuclear financing, Nuclear innovation, Nuclear R&D, Regulatory reform, US competitiveness, US technological leadership