REQUEST FOR INFORMATION NOTICE OF INTENT: Nuclear Safety Training and Workforce Development Program

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy’s (NE) mission is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet United States (U.S.) energy, environmental, and economic needs. NE has identified the following goals to address challenges in the nuclear energy sector, to help realize the potential of advanced technology, and to leverage the unique role of the Government in spurring innovation: 1. Enable continued operation of existing U.S. nuclear reactors. 2. Enable deployment of advanced nuclear reactors. 3. Develop advanced nuclear fuel cycles and spent nuclear fuel management options. NE strives to promote integrated and collaborative research conducted by national laboratory, university, industry, and international partners under the direction of NE’s programs, and to deploy innovative nuclear energy technologies to the market and to optimize the benefits of nuclear energy. The explanatory statement accompanying Division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 reads as follows: “Section 311 of the agreement provides up to $100,000,000 to implement a new nuclear safety training program. The Department is directed to make one or more cost-shared awards not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act. The program shall require cost share of at least 50 percent of the total program costs. The cost share must come from nonfederal sources unless otherwise allowed by law. In implementing the program, the Department shall give priority to universities located within 50 miles of reactors that were constructed prior to 1980 and have had significant safety issues in the last five decades. A successful applicant shall have clearly defined goals and objectives; identify and address the gap between available skilled workers and the demand for the training program; and lead to an industry recognized nuclear reactor safety credential to meet demand.” This Request for Information (RFI)/Notice of Intent (NOI) is used solely for information capture and planning purposes and does not constitute a DOE solicitation, nor does it relate to any current solicitation. This RFI/NOI is issued with the intent of obtaining information and informing the community of NE’s anticipation to issue a future solicitation. NE seeks ideas, input, comments, feedback, and recommendationsfrom interested parties for future competitive workforce development programs focused on nuclear safety training for the workforce that supports the continued safe operation of existing nuclear power plants. Information received in response to this RFI/NOI may or may not be utilized to inform future DOE solicitations.