# DOE Offers $50M for Reactor Cladding R&D

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy is offering up to $50 million over three years for research and development advancing silicon carbide reactor fuel cladding. The opportunity supports fabrication of 12-foot cladding fuel rods for irradiation testing, with resulting performance data intended to support Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing and commercial deployment. Applications are due December 7, 2026 (**62 days remaining**).

- The funding opportunity is relevant to organizations developing, fabricating, or testing advanced nuclear fuel materials and cladding; proposed work should address the specified fuel-rod fabrication and irradiation-testing objectives.
- Procurement and business development teams can use the three-year, up-to-$50 million funding scope to assess project scale and potential research, fabrication, and testing participation.
- The intended licensing and deployment data create potential follow-on relevance for suppliers and research organizations serving advanced reactor programs.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 05, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- DOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
- U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

### Key Quotes
> Through this new funding opportunity, we’re excited to continue to work with industry on projects that can improve reactor performance and further enhance the safety of our country’s nuclear power plants, as well as inform the development of fuels to improve operational flexibility and reduce costs for future reactors.
> — Josh Jarrell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Fuel Cycle

### Sources
- [DOE Office of Nuclear Energy Announces $50M in Funding to Revolutionize Reactor Cladding Material | Department of Energy](https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/doe-office-nuclear-energy-announces-50m-funding-revolutionize-reactor-cladding-material) - Energy Fecm