Inside the Secret Lab Behind the World’s First Sodium-Cooled SMR Launch

Idaho National Laboratory will host the first deployment of the ARC-100 — a 100 MW sodium-cooled small modular reactor — following a new agreement between ARC Clean Technology and Battelle Energy Alliance.

The collaboration encompasses the entire reactor lifecycle: detailed engineering, site preparation, commissioning, operation, and potential decommissioning or mission conversion. Technical risk reduction will occur prior to construction, licensing, and commercial-scale deployment, leveraging laboratory facilities and subject-matter expertise.

Expansion of Prior DOE-Supported Work

This arrangement builds on earlier cooperation initiated under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Concepts 2020 program. During that initiative, laboratory teams assisted with fuel design, probabilistic risk assessment, and regulatory engagement with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

“This partnership with Idaho National Laboratory marks a pivotal step in ARC’s mission to bring safe, reliable, advanced nuclear energy to the world,” said Irfan Ali, President & Chief Strategy Officer at ARC Clean Technology Inc.

“INL’s capabilities in reactor design, materials science, and regulatory engagement are unmatched, and we look forward to working alongside their expert teams to demonstrate the promise of our technology,” he added.

Under the framework, individual project task statements will define technical scope, funding, deliverables, and schedule for each activity. No task may begin without prior approval from the Department of Energy.

Comprehensive Technical Support Scope

Support from the laboratory will include engineering reviews, advanced manufacturing, materials assessment, high-performance computing, reactor modeling, irradiation testing, safety analysis, commissioning, operations, and site development.

“INL specializes in advanced reactor technologies, and we look forward to supporting ARC as they work toward the first deployment of the ARC100,” said Jess Gehin, INL Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science & Technology.

“Our teams will contribute our expertise in design review, materials evaluation, and safety analysis to help guide the project forward,” he continued.

The laboratory’s nuclear infrastructure includes the Advanced Test Reactor, the Transient Reactor Test Facility, and the Materials and Fuels Complex. These facilities enable fuel qualification, materials testing, transient behavior studies, and other essential pre-deployment technical work.

Firm Power for Data Centers and AI Infrastructure

The ARC-100 is engineered to deliver flexible, dispatchable power from a compact footprint. Its developers identify applications where continuous electricity supply is essential — particularly data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure, sectors imposing increasing strain on the U.S. power grid.

A successful initial deployment could bolster U.S. advanced nuclear export capacity. Demonstrating the reactor at a national laboratory would generate technical and operational evidence applicable to future international projects, while offering allied nations an additional source of reliable low-carbon electricity.

The partnership thus holds significance both domestically and strategically. It aims to validate a novel reactor design, meet rising electricity demand, and reinforce U.S. standing in a global nuclear market increasingly influenced by state-backed competitors.