Westinghouse receives ARPA-E HORNIG funding to develop PowerBlock advanced nuclear fuel technology
Westinghouse Electric Company announced October 29 that the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has selected the Cranberry Township, PA-based company for funding through its HORNIG program. The award will support continued development of PowerBlock™, Westinghouse’s advanced nuclear fuel technology.
Westinghouse selected for ARPA-E HORNIG award
HORNIG stands for High-performance Optimized Recycled Nuclear Isotopes for Gen IV reactors — a mouthful, sure, but the focus is pretty simple. The program backs early-stage nuclear fuel technologies that could genuinely move the needle on how nuclear plants perform and what it costs to run them.
Westinghouse made the announcement from its Cranberry Township, PA headquarters on October 29, 2026. ARPA-E funding will go toward continued development of PowerBlock™, building on the company’s existing nuclear fuel and manufacturing know-how to push the technology further along.
Both numbers matter: longer fuel cycles mean fewer refueling outages, which translates directly into more uptime and lower operational costs for plant operators.
Why ARPA-E selected PowerBlock for support
The HORNIG program isn’t handing out money to just any nuclear project. It targets technologies with a credible path toward improving nuclear energy performance and economics — and PowerBlock cleared that bar.
PowerBlock pairs new fuel architectures with advanced manufacturing techniques, which sets it apart from the usual incremental tweaks to conventional designs. The technology alone isn’t the whole story, though. Westinghouse brings decades of established expertise in nuclear fuel design and manufacturing, and that gives the project a realistic foundation for moving from development into actual deployment.
Through the award, Westinghouse is expected to generate the technical data needed to support future evaluation and deployment opportunities. It’s not just about building something — it’s about producing the evidence base that regulators, utilities, and investors will need before taking the next step.
What PowerBlock technology is designed to do
At its core, PowerBlock is about getting more out of nuclear fuel. The technology targets 24-month fuel cycles at thermal power levels above 4,200 megawatts. Both numbers matter: longer fuel cycles mean fewer refueling outages, which translates directly into more uptime and lower operational costs for plant operators.
The design advances the architecture of conventional nuclear fuel assemblies through new manufacturing approaches. It’s not a wholesale reinvention — it builds on what the industry already knows — but the changes are substantive enough to meaningfully expand what’s possible.
For utilities, the pitch is practical. PowerBlock is designed to help them maximize output, extend fuel performance, and improve plant economics. As Ben Solich, President of Nuclear Fuel at Westinghouse, put it: “As utilities look for new ways to maximize output, extend fuel performance and improve plant economics, innovation in fuel technology has never been more important.”
Solich also framed the broader ambition behind the project. “PowerBlock represents a bold new approach to nuclear fuel design,” he said, “and Westinghouse is well-positioned to utilize our deep expertise in nuclear fuel technology and manufacturing to further advance fuel innovation.” The goal isn’t just better fuel — it’s more operational flexibility for plant operators facing growing pressure to run their facilities as efficiently as possible.
Background: ARPA-E’s role in nuclear energy innovation
ARPA-E — the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy — sits within the U.S. Department of Energy and plays a specific role in the energy innovation landscape. It funds high-potential, early-stage technologies that might not yet attract private investment on their own but could deliver real impact if they succeed.
The HORNIG program fits squarely within that mission. By focusing on advanced fuel technologies for Generation IV reactors, it’s placing bets on the next wave of nuclear development — not just the plants running today, but the designs that could define the industry’s future. Nuclear fuel innovation has become a growing priority across the sector, and fuel performance is one of the levers utilities can pull to extend operational efficiency and cut costs.
Westinghouse isn’t new to this space. The company is a long-established global supplier of nuclear fuel and reactor technology, with a track record spanning decades and multiple reactor types — which is part of why ARPA-E’s selection makes sense. The agency is backing a team with the technical depth to actually deliver.
What this award means for PowerBlock’s development
The ARPA-E HORNIG award marks a meaningful step forward for PowerBlock™, moving it further along the development path with federal backing and a defined set of deliverables. Westinghouse will use the funding to advance the technology and build the technical data package that future evaluation and deployment decisions will depend on.
Several threads come together here: ARPA-E’s mandate to fund high-impact early-stage energy technologies, the HORNIG program’s focus on advanced fuels for next-generation reactors, and Westinghouse Nuclear‘s deep manufacturing and design expertise. PowerBlock’s combination of fuel architecture and manufacturing innovation positions it as a practical candidate for utilities looking to improve plant economics — without waiting around for entirely new reactor designs.
For now, the work continues in Cranberry Township. The next phase is about generating data, refining the design, and building the technical case for what comes next.
Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.
