Inevitable

Advancing Nuclear Innovation with INL’s Dr. John Wagner

Jun 10, 2024

Dr. John Wagner, Director of Idaho National Laboratory, discusses DOE National Labs, current projects like MARVEL and PELE, collaboration opportunities, fusion research, and the future of nuclear energy. He elaborates on the development cycle of reactors, regulatory support, and the lab's involvement in advancing nuclear innovation.

39:27

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Episode guests

John Wagner

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Quick takeaways

INL pioneers advanced nuclear research with a historic legacy of producing first usable nuclear electricity.

Dr. Wagner emphasizes industry collaboration and diverse reactor development for future nuclear energy growth.

Deep dives

Overview of Idaho National Laboratory

Idaho National Laboratory, one of the 17 Department of Energy National Laboratories, is renowned for leading advanced nuclear research. The lab's rich history in nuclear energy dates back to being the site where usable electricity from nuclear energy was first generated. Dr. John Wagner, the lab's director since 2020, highlights the significant role of INL in the development of dozens of reactors over the years.

Intro

2min

Overview of Department of Energy National Laboratories

11min

Advancements in Nuclear Reactor Development at INL

3min

Advancements in Nuclear Science and Technology Portfolio

3min

Developing Advanced Nuclear Reactors and Regulatory Processes

18min

Evolution of Nuclear Reactor Technologies and Deployment

3min

Dr. John Wagner is the President of Battelle Energy Alliance and Director of the Idaho National Laboratory or INL.

INL is one of 17 national labs in the United States and leads the nation in work on advanced nuclear research. INL boasts a rich legacy in the narrative of nuclear energy, marked by its pivotal role in producing the inaugural usable electricity from nuclear sources on its premises. Dozens of reactors have been built at INL during its decades of operation.

Dr. Wagner has been with INL since 2016 and has been director of the lab since 2020. Prior to that, he was the division director at the Reactor and Nuclear Services division at Oak Ridge National Lab. He has a PhD in nuclear engineering from Penn State University and has spent his career working to advance nuclear energy innovation.

In our conversation, we cover the history of INL, its key priorities, current projects under development, and Dr. Wagner’s vision for our nuclear future.

In this episode, we cover:

[2:00] DOE National Labs Overview
[5:24] Introduction to Idaho National Laboratory
[12:14] Current projects & reactors at INL, including Advanced Test Reactor (ATR)
[14:10] INL's upcoming projects: MARVEL, PELE
[15:39] How INL supports private firms in nuclear tech development
[18:40] End-to-end reactor devolment cycle, e.g., MARVEL
[26:57] How entrepreneurs can collaborate with INL
[31:17] Collaboration with NRC, support for regulatory development and training
[33:07] INL's involvement in fusion research
[34:19] John's focus on nuclear fission, U.S. rebuilding
[36:05] Future reactor mix: large-scale, modular, advanced

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Episode recorded on May 17, 2024 (Published on June 10, 2024)

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

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Inevitable

Advancing Nuclear Innovation with INL’s Dr. John Wagner

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Overview of Idaho National Laboratory

INL's Diverse Functions and Partnerships

INL's Funding Distribution and Focus

Vision for the Future of Nuclear Energy

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts