The future of nuclear energy depends upon deploying new advanced reactor plant designs that are competitive while at the same time are safe using melt-free cores, do not contribute to proliferation, and produce waste forms that are directly disposable. Currently, research is being conducted on a modular high temperature gas cooled pebble bed reactor.

Students and faculty are engaged in research on core neutronics design, thermal hydraulics, fuel performance, economics, non-proliferation, and waste disposal. The objective of this research is to develop a conceptual design of a 110 Mwe pebble bed nuclear plant which could be used as a demonstration of its practicality and competitiveness with natural gas. Should the concept be successful, the design and construction of a full scale reactor research facility would be pursued by a MIT led consortium of universities, national laboratories, and industries. This research involves international collaborations with Germany, Russia, China, Japan, and South Africa.