The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) has awarded Project Omega a contract to advance used nuclear fuel (UNF) recycling. Through the award, Project Omega will validate key components of its molten-salt electrochemical recycling platform designed to safely process UNF, recover valuable isotopes, and significantly reduce long-term waste management challenges.

The United States currently lacks an industrial capability to recycle UNF. Project Omega’s ARPA-E award, which falls under the CURIE (Converting UNF Radioisotopes Into Energy) program, aims to demonstrate a scalable pathway to recover this energy while reducing waste streams and strengthening domestic fuel supply chains.

“ARPA-E supports efforts that move promising technologies toward real-world deployment,” said ARPA-E Director, Conner Prochaska. “Through this work, Project Omega will partner with Idaho National Laboratory to advance nuclear fuel recycling technologies and help translate national laboratory innovation into capabilities that advance American leadership in nuclear energy.”

At the core of the project is the demonstration of novel inert anodes used in the molten-salt electrochemical reduction of UNF. Omega’s ARPA-E award will support kilogram-scale prototype testing at Idaho National Laboratory designed to validate system performance and generate the mass-balanced engineering data required for pilot-scale deployment for this domestic fuel recycling capability.

Unlike legacy aqueous reprocessing methods that rely on nitric acid and generate large secondary wastewater streams, Project Omega’s approach remains entirely non-aqueous, using molten salts to separate materials through electrochemical processes. The process achieves high-purity separations without isolating pure plutonium, minimizing proliferation risks while leveraging commercially proven electrochemical metal-refining techniques.

“The U.S. has approximately 100,000 metric tons of used nuclear fuel containing more than 90 percent of its original energy value — and no industrial capability to recover it,” said Dr. John Wagner, Director of the Idaho National Laboratory. “INL's partnership with Project Omega through ARPA-E's CURIE program is focused on changing that. Validating this molten-salt electrochemical platform at kilogram scale is the kind of rigorous, data-driven work needed to move fuel recycling from concept to deployable infrastructure."

Project Omega plans to construct a pilot facility capable of processing multiple types of UNF and recovering materials that can support advanced reactors, domestic isotope supply chains, and next-generation power systems.

“Spent nuclear fuel is one of the most underutilized energy resources in the United States,” said Dr. Stafford Sheehan, CEO and founder of Project Omega. “With INL, we’re demonstrating a practical, industrial pathway to recover that energy, reduce taxpayer liabilities for long-term waste management, and rebuild a critical capability in the U.S. nuclear fuel cycle. ARPA-E’s support allows us to accelerate this technology toward pilot-scale deployment.”

By combining rigorous electrochemical engineering with commercially proven metal-refining techniques, this ARPA-E project is designed to move beyond laboratory research and toward deployable nuclear fuel recycling infrastructure that supports both civilian energy systems and national security missions.

The CURIE program is part of ARPA-E’s effort to develop new technologies for recycling used nuclear fuel and supporting the next generation of nuclear reactors. The program funds projects exploring improved methods for separating and recovering materials from spent fuel, better monitoring and accounting systems to track nuclear materials, and new facility designs that can make recycling technologies safer, more affordable, and easier to deploy. Together, these efforts aim to reduce nuclear waste, strengthen energy security, and recover valuable materials that can support advanced reactors and other applications.

About Project Omega
Project Omega is advancing a safe approach to recycling used nuclear fuel to strengthen energy security and reduce long-term waste. The company is focused on enabling long-duration power solutions for critical national security needs and supplying critical materials to fuel the nuclear industry, supporting a more resilient energy future. Learn more at projectomega.com.

About Idaho National Laboratory
Battelle Energy Alliance manages INL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. INL is the nation’s center for nuclear energy research and development, celebrating 75 years of scientific innovations in 2024. The laboratory performs research in each of DOE’s strategic goal areas: energy, national security, science and the environment. For more information, visit www.inl.gov. Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

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