Enabling the nation's energy future
Advancing fission innovation to strengthen America’s energy, security, and competitiveness.
Learn what's newEast Tennessee is the nation’s nuclear epicenter
With an increased use of AI and data centers across the United States, the demand for electricity is rising. At ORNL, researchers are advancing technologies to meet the nation’s need for abundant and resilient energy, focusing on expanding the availability of nuclear energy and exploring a path to bring fusion energy—and its limitless potential—to the grid.
ORNL is uniquely situated in the midst of the largest concentration of nuclear-focused industry in the world: More than 150 nuclear companies call the hills and valleys of East Tennessee home. Key to ORNL’s success is collaborating closely with industry, government, and community partners in across the region, building a network of nuclear innovation that is delivering affordable power, unique isotopes for medical treatments and deep space exploration, and security for the nation.
Nuclear Needs ORNL
Computing and AI
ORNL combines leadership-class computing, artificial intelligence, and multi-scale modeling to tackle challenges in fission and fusion energy.
Isotopes
ORNL leads the nation in isotope science and production, driving U.S. energy reliability, advancing nuclear medicine, supporting industry and global supply chains, and enabling space exploration.
Manufacturing
ORNL leverages advanced manufacturing — like 3D printing and AI-driven design — for more efficient and more affordable components, construction methods, and reactor systems.
Materials
ORNL taps into a vast reserve of knowledge, cutting-edge laboratories, and world-leading facilities to discover, design, develop and deploy innovative materials for fission and fusion energy.
Safeguards and Security
ORNL works with the National Nuclear Security Administration to ensure the US maintains the cutting-edge capabilities needed to prevent nefarious use of nuclear materials worldwide.
Partners
We partner with industry, academia, national labs, and government agencies to advance the U.S. nuclear industry and create abundant, reliable energy for all.
ORNL’s Impact on Nuclear Innovation
ORNL is accelerating innovation that strengthens America’s energy independence and economic competitiveness.
Powering Space Exploration with Neptunium Research
ORNL is securing the nation’s supply of Pu-238—ensuring reliable energy for deep space missions and keeping the U.S. at the forefront of exploration and discovery.
Building the Nuclear Workforce of Tomorrow
How do we support a growing nuclear infrastructure? By supporting and cultivating a growing nuclear workforce.
ORNL is capturing the possibilities of fusion energy
ORNL has been at the forefront of fusion energy research since 1952. The lab contributed early breakthroughs in plasma physics, materials, magnets, and fueling technologies, including developing pellet fueling now used globally. ORNL also constructed key facilities like ORMAK and the Impurity Study Experiment.
Today, ORNL leads research to unlock fusion’s potential—advancing plasma science, fueling systems, and materials. The lab is building the Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment to study materials for future reactors and manages the US ITER Project for the Department of Energy, driving international progress toward fusion energy.
ORNL has pioneered nuclear energy for 80 years
In 1943, the X-10 Graphite Reactor—part of the Manhattan Project—became the world’s first continuously operating nuclear reactor. The reactor would operate for 20 years and serve as the foundation for trailblazing experiments in neutron sciences, health physics, isotope production, and nuclear energy, including becoming the site of the first electricity from nuclear energy.
Today, ORNL researchers leverage unique capabilities and collaborate across disciplines to enhance performance of the current nuclear fleet, advance new nuclear fuels, deploy technologies for nuclear nonproliferation, and accelerate the next generation of nuclear reactors through improved economics, new materials, and a reinvigorated supply chain.
In the coming decade, ORNL will be home to …
Top ranked
nuclear engineering graduates
Advanced manufacturing
for faster nuclear energy deployment
The 1st
commercial deployment of an SMR
A first-of-its-kind
plasma device for testing fusion materials at MPEX
Modernization
of the nation’s highly enriched uranium capability
The nation’s base
for advancements in enrichment and isotopes
The nation’s source
for HALEU TRISO fuel
The 1st
non-light-water reactor operational in the U.S. in the 21st century
Quantum innovation
that includes a commercial network connecting the Oak Ridge Corridor
Workforce leadership
from the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Workforce Center, which will harness resources statewide to meet industry needs
Artificial intelligence
integrated into the region’s leading infrastructure, scientific capabilities, and data capabilities to accelerate American leadership
New cancer treatments
using next-gen theranostics for diagnosis and precise targeting of cancer cells
The No. 1
supercomputer enabled for quantum, AI, and big science