Projects / prj-pele-inl
Project Pele (INL microreactor demonstration)
DoD/BWXT transportable HTGR microreactor demonstration. INL site work after 2024 groundbreaking; reactor manufacturing in Lynchburg with INL testing planned later. Distinct from Aurora and cancelled CFPP. Anticipated early operation dates are not proof of operation.
- Stage
- Construction
- Design
- Project Pele microreactor (BWXT HTGR) (Microreactor)
- Technology
- High-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) · helium
- Operator(s)
- U.S. DoD Strategic Capabilities Office
- Vendor(s)
- BWX Technologies
- Location
- INL CITRC Project Pele area · United States · precision: approximate
Approximate INL CITRC area for Pele demonstration; distinct from Aurora/CFPP. - Coordinates
- 43.52, -112.95
- Electrical capacity
- 1.5 MWe (nameplate (gross/net unspecified)) · scope: module
- Thermal capacity
- —
- Modules planned
- 1
- Inclusion basis
- microreactor_labeled
- Confidence
- high
- Last verified
- 2026-10-01 (publication/verification date)
Milestones & dated events
- No dated milestones recorded yet.
Regulatory actions
- None recorded in this release.
Sources
- DOE Project Pele groundbreaking article (government_primary, accessed 2026-10-01)
- BWXT Project Pele page (company_primary, accessed 2026-10-01)