The funding, which has been allocated for the first year, will be made available through DOE’s Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Licensing Technical Support Program.
DOE has predicted that about $150m will be available over the next five years, while the agreement will allow for $226m or more in federal funding.
B&W said it aims to use any further funding for licensing and engineering activities.
The company’s mPower reactor is an advanced integral pressurised water reactor designed to generate 180MW of electricity.
In November 2012, DOE selected the mPower America team, comprised of B&W, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Generation mPower, for commercial demonstration of the mPower SMR by 2022.
Generation mPower was formed by B&W mPower and Bechtel, to provide licensing and engineering support for the project.
B&W mPower and the TVA signed a contract in February 2013 to apply to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a permit to build a small modular reactor at TVA’s Clinch River Site.
