CANES aims to hasten the development of new and transformative technologies, materials, and methods that will make nuclear fission more affordable, more rapidly and securely deployable, and even safer than is currently the case. Building upon MIT’s already extensive capability in nuclear fission-related innovation, the Center supports work across the entire technology development arc—from basic materials research all the way through to reactor design, manufacturing, and the fuel cycle.

The Center pairs this innovative research with a dedicated techno-economic and systems analysis program, focused on how best to overcome the challenges involved in expanding nuclear power. An MIT team will conduct technology assessments, economic modeling, and analyses of the regulatory, financial, and political aspects of siting, designing, constructing, operating, and decommissioning nuclear facilities.

To leverage all these capabilities, the Center collaborates with a diverse set of private companies, government entities, and nongovernmental organizations, ensuring that MIT research is aligned with the most pressing real-world needs for decarbonizing both the power sector and the broader energy system. By encouraging extensive industry engagement, the Center will ultimately serve as an integrated solutions platform—supporting cutting-edge basic and applied research with a deep awareness of the practical and market barriers that must be tackled to move technologies from lab to market.