The Idaho National Laboratory has announced that the Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments, or DOME, is open for industry-led nuclear microreactor tests.
INL said Wednesday that the microreactor test bed is designed to accelerate the development of advanced nuclear technologies.
“DOME represents the kind of bold and creative infrastructure investment that America’s nuclear resurgence demands,” INL Director John Wagner stated. “We are accelerating the next generation of nuclear innovators from concept to demonstration at a pace the industry has not seen in decades.”
Radiant is set to use DOME to test the Kaleidos Development Unit, a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor. The Department of Energy selected Radiant and Westinghouse in July 2025 to be the first companies to demonstrate their microreactor technologies at the facility.
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What Is the DOME Microreactor Test Bed?
DOME is an 80-foot-diameter, 100-foot-tall facility intended to provide a controlled environment for evaluating experimental reactor designs.
Built from the repurposed Experimental Breeder Reactor-II containment structure, the test bed can support microreactors generating up to 20 megawatts of thermal energy, allowing developers to collect performance data needed for design validation and future licensing, according to INL.
“With the information gathered from their testing at DOME, reactor developers will turn pioneering ideas into validated technologies to advance nuclear energy,” Brad Tomer, director of the National Reactor Innovation Center at INL, said. “We are extremely proud to offer this capability and cannot wait to see the impact it has on the nuclear industry.”
How Will Future DOME Experiments Be Selected?
Future experiments at DOME will be scheduled through an annual competitive application process. Selections will be based on criteria such as technology readiness, fuel availability and a regulatory approval plan.
Applicants will be required to fund their own testing campaigns. The first round of applications has already closed. DOE will issue the next request for proposals in the coming months.
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