Abilene Christian University's NEXT Lab has received a shipment of more than 2 metric tons of FLiBe coolant salt from Oak Ridge National Laboratory for its Molten Salt Research Reactor project in Abilene, Texas, university and laboratory officials confirmed this week. The lithium fluoride and beryllium fluoride mixture originally served as secondary coolant for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment, an Oak Ridge test reactor that operated from 1965 to 1969. The material has remained in storage since the experiment ended, with only small amounts previously withdrawn for research.
ACU is developing the Molten Salt Research Reactor, a 1-megawatt-thermal unit, in partnership with Natura Resources. The university received a construction permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2024, and Natura plans to use operating data from the reactor to support licensing and deployment of its planned commercial molten salt reactors. ACU first requested the salt from the Department of Energy in 2019 and secured a formal commitment after clearing a subsequent competitive review process facilitated by Idaho National Laboratory and the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy.
According to Oak Ridge energy systems development group leader Kevin Robb, the shipment represents the only near-term domestic source of lithium-7 enriched FLiBe in significant supply, and NEXT Lab director Rusty Towell said it provides all of the material the reactor will need for its full operating lifetime. The coolant salt never contained fissile material.
The delivery adds to a growing list of advanced reactor and fuel supply chain projects moving forward in Texas, as the state positions itself as a hub for next generation nuclear development.
Source: Nuclear Newswire (American Nuclear Society) -- https://www.ans.org/news/2026-09-18/article-8402/msre-flibe-arrives-in-texas-for-reuse-after-decades-in-storage/