Brookhaven National Laboratory wins nuclear energy grant

Brookhaven National Laboratory is part of a partnership that has been awarded a $990,000 nuclear energy grant from the federal Department of Energy, according to Sen. Charles Schumer.

The lab, in partnership with Rutgers University, will share the three-year grant; Brookhaven will receive $600,000 and Rutgers will get $390,000.

The grant is part of the DOE’s effort to restart the nuclear energy program in America, and will support nuclear energy efficiency research at Brookhaven.

“This is a win for Long Island, and a win for the country’s energy future,” Schumer said in a release. “With this grant, the Brookhaven National Lab will be able to continue developing its cutting-edge energy research and sustain high-paying jobs on Long Island.”

The lab is researching the effects of radiation on materials in extreme temperatures to determine increased efficiency in the production of electricity.

The funding comes from the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies program to help develop technologies that support the department’s advanced reactor and fuel cycle concepts.

The Brookhaven/Rutgers grant is part of nearly $13 million that the DOE has invested in nuclear energy innovation projects.