2021 was a BIG year for nuclear energy as the nation continues to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Energy use is back on the rise and the global appetite for cleaner energy is higher than ever before.

Nuclear is expected to play a big role in helping the U.S. transition to a net-zero economy by 2050—and the Biden Administration is investing billions to make that happen.

Here are the 10 biggest wins for nuclear in 2021, setting the stage for what will be one of the most transformative times in history for the industry.

5. First Complete Accident Tolerant Fuel Assembly Installed at U.S. Reactor

Framatome’s first complete accident tolerant fuel assembly was recently installed at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Maryland. The fuel assembly is the industry’s first of its kind to be inserted into a commercial reactor and was developed through DOE’s Accident Tolerant Fuel Program. The new fuel prototype is expected to reduce corrosion and hydrogen production under high-temperature conditions and will operate in the reactor for the next four to six years as the team monitors its performance with routine inspections.

View the full story at the official Office of Nuclear Energy site.