- TVA Submits License Applications to NRC for BWRX-300
- AI Data Centers Considered for Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- DOE Taking Applications to Test Advanced Nuclear Technologies at INL
- Indian Regulator Approves New Nuclear Site for PHWRs
- Estonia Begins Planning For Nuclear Power Plant
- ASP Isotopes to Build HALEU Fuel Plant for TerraPower in South Africa
- US Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Promote Nuclear Energy
TVA Submits License Applications to NRC for BWRX-300
Earlier this month Ontario Power Generation (OPG) received the go ahead from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to begin construction of the first of four BWRX-300 SMRs at the utility’s Darlington power station in Ontario. OPG said it will complete the first unit by late 2030.
TVA and OPG have been collaborating on the design and licensing of the SMR. Additionally, the NRC and CNSC have undertaken a joint assessment of the BWRX-300 to facilitate rapid safety reviews of applications to build it. Both TVA and OPG will need to submit applications to actually operate the their respective reactors once built.
“TVA’s investment in the standard design of the BWRX-300 technology will accelerate its deployment, helping meet the rising demand for energy and enhancing energy security,” said Craig Ranson, President & CEO, GVH.
“This milestone, in addition to this month’s decision by the Province of Ontario to build the western world’s first SMR, demonstrates that this technology is advanced and real.”
TVA has invested in the standard design of the BWRX-300 as part of a technical collaboration agreement with Ontario Power Generation (OPG), Synthos Green Energy and GVH. TVA is also leading a coalition of utility companies and supply chain partners that has applied for an $800 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to accelerate construction of the nation’s first SMR.
In January, it was announced that Duke Energy has entered into an agreement to invest in activities to advance the standard design and licensing of the BWRX-300 SMR and that American Electric Power (AEP) has selected the BWRX-300 for potential deployment at the Indiana Michigan Power Rockport Plant in Spencer County, Indiana, pending approval of the DOE funding request that TVA is leading.
TVA already holds an early site permit for SMRs at the Clinch River site. It certifies that the site near Oak Ridge, TN, is suitable for the construction of a nuclear power plant. It covers site safety, environmental impact and emergency planning. TVA has also completed and submitted an Environmental Report for the project to the NRC, and says site preparation for the SMR could begin as soon as 2026.
Each BWRX-300 will provide approximately 300 MW of electricity, enough to produce the equivalent electricity needed to power 300,000 homes while significantly reducing the complexity and cost associated with traditional nuclear reactors.
The BWRX-300 design is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of the 1,500 MW ESBWR boiling water reactor developed by GEH.
Will AI Demand for Power Bring Back Large Reactors?
While several US utilities submitted and received NRC licenses to build and operate the ESBWR, none have been built due primarily to financial considerations related to electricity demand. Since then demand for power for data centers has skyrocketed as it is needed to support artificial intelligence applications which may reopen consideration for large new reactors like the GEH ESBWR and additional units of the Westinghouse AP1000.
Recently, the CEO of Xcel Energy said that he sees this demand factor as being significant and the needs of artificial intelligence for power and will boost the chances for new construction of big nuclear power plants. CEO Rob Frenzel said in a Bllomberg TV interview, “Because of these large loads the data centers want, you will see people contemplate whether they build a large-scale nuclear reactor in this country.
“I think there’s a possibility that people look at the load growth and say, ‘I need to meet that with something that’s bigger than a 100 megawatt machine. I need a 1,000 megawatt machine.’”
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AI Data Centers Considered for Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Elementl Power Partner to Accelerate Siting of Nuclear-Powered Data Centers
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Elementl Power have teamed up to advance a data-driven siting approach for advanced nuclear projects. The work started through a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) GAIN voucher and contributed to Elementl’s recent agreement with Google to prepare three U.S. sites for advanced nuclear deployment. Each site would have at least 600 MW of capacity and would likely be used to power large-scale data centers.
Data Centers, Nuclear Energy and Siting
As part of its recently announced agreement with Elementl, Google will provide early-stage capital to develop three sites for advanced reactor projects with final technology selection and site confirmation pending further development milestones.
Elementl uses a proprietary, multi-criteria siting framework to assess dozens of candidate locations for advanced reactor deployment across the United States—enabling faster, lower-risk project development.
The company leveraged ORNL’s OR-SAGE siting tool to further enhance its in-house methodology, adding additional rigor and geospatial precision to its early-stage development process.
Elementl and ORNL’s collaboration was supported by a 2022 GAIN voucher award, which provided access to the nation’s national laboratory complex and expertise to help overcome technological and commercialization challenges.
“This voucher allowed us to accelerate critical pre-development work that would otherwise take years to replicate on our own,” said David Faherty, Elementl co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer.
“ORNL’s OR-SAGE platform gives us a data-driven foundation to screen regional siting options efficiently and allows our team to layer in our own project-specific criteria with greater speed and confidence.”
What’s Next?
Separate from the Elementl announcement, Google already has an agreement in place with Kairos Power to deploy 500 MW of nuclear capacity by 2035. Kairos Power recently began nuclear construction on its Hermes reactor, which is one of several advanced reactor projects being supported by DOE. The low-power reactor will be used to inform its commercial fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor anticipated to be deployed in the early 2030s.
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DOE Taking Applications to Test Advanced Nuclear Technologies at INL
The Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed is intended to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies in the United States.
DOME is being constructed around the containment system of the decommissioned Experimental Breeder Reactor-II and is designed to host experimental reactors up to 20 megawatts-thermal using high-assay low-enriched uranium in an environment that safely supports nuclear systems going critical for the first time. NRIC will be ready to receive reactors for fueling in Fall 2026.
The U.S. Department of Energy has released an application guide to help reactor developers through the submission process. The sequencing of reactor experiments will be based on several criteria including technology readiness, fuel type and availability, regulatory approval plan, and the developer’s capabilities.
Advanced nuclear developers interested in taking advantage of this one-of-a-kind facility should contact NRIC for more information.
Reactor developers can submit applications for scheduling their microreactor experiments in the NRIC DOME test bed facility.
- Now Accepting Applications for Scheduling: NRIC DOME Scheduling Application
- To learn more about NRIC and the DOME test bed visit nric.inl.gov.
As projections can change over time, this review process will be performed annually to consider new applicants, changing conditions, and DOE priorities.
All applicants are expected to self-fund their DOME test campaign. Applications are due 5:00 p.m. MDT on June 19th, 2025. The next call for applications is anticipated to be in 2026.
For a detailed discussion of the nuances of the NRIC testing program, see this recent report; Developers can apply now to test a fueled reactor in NRIC’s DOME from the ANS Newswire.
Short List of Micro Reactors in Development
The entrepreneurial spirit has taken hold in the nuclear energy field with numerous startups obtaining seed and Series-A funding to develop a variety of reactor designs. While some of these microreactors are being developed by giant corporations with deep pockets, others are working from cold starts with little or no government and corporate support.
While there is lots of excitement over these developments, all of the firms in this race to market face timelines of up to a decade of work. All of them have a top priority to raise sufficient funds to complete the design and license their creation with the NRC and to convince a first customer, and subsequent buyers, that they can make a profit with it. In the meantime, Admiral Rickover’s enduring letter about “paper reactors” remains a caution flag for investors and developers alike.
Westinghouse eVinci (Pittsburgh, PA) by Rita Barenwal
* Transportable 1-5 MW advanced microreactor
* Air cooled, heat pipes, graphite core
* TRISO fuel at 19.5% U235
* Supported by $27M grant from Canadian government
* Slated for testing at INL
BWXT Project Pele by Jeff Waksman
* Transportable 1-5 MW advanced microreactor
* HTGR helium cooled
* TRISO Fuel at 19.5% U2325
* Supported by DOD funding $300M
* Slated for testing and prototype build at INL in 2026
Radiant Kaleidos (El Segundo, CA) by Doug Bernauer
* Portable 1 MW microreactors replacing diesel
* Helium-cooled, TRISO-fueled
* $160M+ raised (DCVC, a16z, Union Square Ventures)
* Testing w/ DoE, DOD, and mining sites in 2026
Last Energy PWR-20 (Washington, D.C.) by Bret Kugelmass
* Modular 20 MWe SMRs for industrial & data center use
* Uses off-the-shelf light-water reactor design principles
* $64M raised (Gigafund, Autodesk)
* Multiple nonbinding MOUs in UK and EU countries
Deep Fission (Berkeley, CA) Richard + Elizabeth Muller
* Borehole-deployed SMRs—1 mile underground!
* 5–10 MWe pressurized water reactors
* $4M seed + strategic deal w/ Endeavour Energy (2 GW)
* Partnered w/ KENTECH, part of Texas Nuclear Alliance
Boston Atomics MIGHTR (Cambridge, MA) by W. Robbie Stewart and Enrique Vélez
* High-temp gas-cooled reactor (10 MWth) for industrial heat
* TRISO fuel, helium-cooled, passive safety
* ~$6M seed + $4.9M DOE grant
* Spun out of MIT/Activate, early-stage
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (New York, NY)
* Microreactors “Zeus” & “Odin” (1–2 MWe)
* Potentially vertically integrated fuel & logistics (HALEU)
* $150M+ raised, IPO in 2024
* DOE HALEU Consortium, LIS laser enrichment JV
Valar Atomics (El Segundo, CA) by Isaiah Taylor
* Making jet fuel from air using nuclear heat
* Fission + DAC + Fischer-Tropsch fuels
* $19M seed (Riot Ventures)
* Partnered w/ Philippine Nuclear Research Institute
Antares (Redondo Beach, CA) Jordan Bramble and Julia DeWahl
* Containerized microreactor for defense & space
* HALEU TRISO + sodium heat pipe + Brayton cycle
* $30M Series A + DoD SBIR contracts
* New LA factory, space partnership w/ Exlabs
Oklo Inc.( NYSE: OKLO) (Santa Clara, CA) by Jacob DeWitte and Caroline Cochran
* 1.5 MWe fast reactor (metal fuel, sodium cooled)
* Backed by Sam Altman, IPO via SPAC (AltC, $500M+)
* Power deal w/ Idaho National Lab
* Expects to try 2nd time for an NRC license in late 2025
Aalo Atomics (Austin, TX) by Matt Loszak
* 10 MWe sodium-cooled microreactor (Aalo-1)
* UZrH fuel, factory-built, modular design based on INL MARVEL
* $27M Series A (50Y, Valor, Harpoon Ventures)
* MOU with Idaho Falls Power for 7 reactors
* Developing Aalo-X experimental reactor at INL
* Launched 50 MWe “Aalo Pod” for data centers
– List by Andrew Côté, in part, and by other sources
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Indian Regulator Approves New Nuclear Site for PHWRs
- India’s nuclear regulator has given its consent to the siting of the four-unit Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project in Rajasthan.
- The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) approved the siting of four Indian-designed 700 MWe pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) at the site, near the village of Napla, in the Banswara district.
(WNN) The AERB describes siting decision as the first major stage in its licensing of nuclear facilities, followed by construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning. Consent for siting involves ensuring of the suitability of the site for the proposed facility, including from an engineering point of view, and includes reviews of the site itself, how the facility and the site will interact with each other, and the site’s suitability for the implementation of emergency actions.
The review process includes a range of studies depending what is applicable to that particular site and project, such as geotechnical, hydrogeological, radioactive impact assessment, baseline natural background, soil studies, and mapping of surrounding areas.
The four Mahi Banswara units are among ten units that the Indian government has sanctioned to be built under a “fleet” approach: the others are; Kaiga units 5 and 6 (in Karnataka), Gorakhpur units 3 and 4 (Haryana), and Chutka units 1 and 2 (Madhyar Pradesh).
Two 700 MWe PHWR units at Kakrapar, in Gujurat, are already in commercial operation. Another, Rajasthan unit 7, was connected to the grid in March, and construction is ongoing on Rajasthan unit 8.
The Mahi Banswara units are to be developed under Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd (Ashvini), a joint venture between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). Formation of the 51% NPCIL:49% NTPC joint venture set up to construct, own and operate nuclear power plants in India received approval from the government last year.
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Estonia Begins Planning For Nuclear Power Plant And Starts Assessment Process
Fermi Energia announces the Government of Estonia’s decision to initiate the national designated spatial planning process and Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment for a 600 MW nuclear power plant based on the company’s January 2025 proposal. This milestone leverages GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 small modular reactor technology and underscores a collective commitment to Estonia’s energy security and climate goals.
“The Estonian government’s approval to begin planning for a 600 MW nuclear power plant, following Fermi Energia’s proposal using GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 small modular reactor technology, represents a significant step forward in Estonia’s nuclear energy development,” said Fermi Energia’s CEO Kalev Kallemets.
“While planning and environmental impact assessments have historically been contentious issues in Estonia, Fermi Energia’s extensive community outreach and the trust established with local municipalities—whose councils have already voted to support nuclear plant siting—provides reason for confidence that the planning process will proceed successfully,” added Kallemets.
Over the past six years, continuous communication and cooperation with local communities have been central to the project. Since 2019, Fermi Energia has conducted over 50 public meetings across the region where the SMR is proposed, engaging with more than 500 residents in 15 towns. This consistent outreach has laid a foundation of trust, resulting in formal participation agreements from the Viru-Nigula and Lüganuse municipal councils.
Polling indicates that the local population is generally open to the idea of potentially hosting a nuclear power plant—around 50% are in support and roughly one-third are opposed. At the national level, public backing for the introduction of nuclear energy into Estonia’s energy mix is even stronger, with 69% of respondents expressing support as of January 2025.
The planning process is structured into three decisive phases. Between 2025 and 2027, a site pre-selection phase will focus on promising areas near Kunda in Viru-Nigula County and the village of Aa in Lüganuse County. This phase will evaluate each location’s strategic access to existing infrastructure, alongside Environmental Impact Assessments, to identify the most viable and sustainable options for development.
To support this effort, Fermi Energia has successfully closed a €2.3 million funding round with participation from both existing and new investors. The capital will be used to finance the initial phase of Estonia’s national special planning process, specifically the site pre-selection studies.
In 2027, the process will advance to detailed site confirmation. During this phase, in-depth studies—covering geology, hydrology, environmental monitoring, and grid connectivity—will be conducted to ensure the selected site meets the stringent safety and performance standards required for deploying the BWRX-300 reactor.
The submission of the construction permit application is planned for 2029. Recently, Fermi Energia signed a teaming agreement with Samsung C&T, which is being considered as a prospective EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) contractor for the project.
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ASP Isotopes to Build HALEU Fuel Plant for TerraPower in South Africa
- ASP Isotopes Inc. enters into Definitive Agreements with TerraPower including Loan Agreement for Construction of a HALEU Production Facility and Supply Agreements for HALEU
- Supply Agreement supports the delivery of HALEU for the first fuel core for TerraPower’s Natrium Plant in Wyoming and plan for the supply of HALEU over a 10-year period.
- The Parties have also agreed to explore opportunities for ASPI or its affiliates to work with TerraPower to develop uranium enrichment production facilities within the United States.
ASP Isotopes Inc. (NASDAQ:ASPI), an advanced materials company dedicated to the development of technology and processes for the production of isotopes for use in multiple industries, announced that it entered into multiple definitive agreements with TerraPower, related to financing support for the construction of a new uranium enrichment facility capable of producing High Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU); and the future supply of HALEU to TerraPower, as a customer.
Loan Agreement
The Loan Agreement provides conditional commitments from TerraPower to the ASP through one of its wholly-owned U.S.-based subsidiaries for a multiple advance term loan to partially finance a proposed new uranium enrichment facility at Pelindaba, South Africa, which is designed to produce commercial quantities of HALEU.
The Company is also in discussions with a number of financial institutions to provide additional capital for the construction of this HALEU production facility, and all such additional funding for this facility is expected to be non-dilutive to ASPI shareholders and QLE convertible noteholders.
The Company intends to construct its initial HALEU production facility at Pelindaba, subject to the receipt of all required permits and licenses to begin enrichment of uranium in South Africa. Pelindaba is South Africa’s main nuclear research center, the headquarters of Necsa (South African Nuclear Energy Corporation) and is the home of the 20MW research nuclear reactor, SAFARI-1.
The new uranium enrichment facility is designed to produce HALEU with an annual output of approximately 15 MTU of HALEU. The facility is expected to commence initial production of HALEU in 2027, subject to the receipt of all required permits and licenses to begin enrichment of uranium in South Africa. Concurrently, the Company and TerraPower have entered into a mutual commitment to explore further opportunities to develop uranium enrichment production facilities in the United States.
HALEU Supply Agreements
In addition to a loan agreement, the Company and TerraPower have entered into two supply agreements for the HALEU expected to be produced at the Company’s uranium enrichment facility. The initial core supply agreement is intended to support the supply the required first fuel cores for the initial loading of TerraPower’s Natrium project in Wyoming. The long-term supply agreement is a 10-year supply agreement of up to a total of 150 metric tons of HALEU, commencing in 2028 through end of 2037.
The Company has two proprietary enrichment technologies – the Aerodynamic Separation Process and the Quantum Enrichment Process. The Company believes that these enrichment technologies can be deployed in a new HALEU facility for considerably lower capital costs, and in much less time, compared to the construction of a uranium enrichment facility using other known methods.
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US Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Promote Nuclear Energy
- Bill will give tools industry needs to ‘compete globally
(NucNet) US senators from both major parties have introduced a bill aimed at supporting the US domestic nuclear energy industry’s leadership and to tackle China and Russia’s growing influence on international nuclear energy development.
The International Nuclear Energy Act would support the establishment of an office to coordinate civil nuclear exports strategy; establish financing relationships; promote regulatory harmonization; improve safeguards and security; promote standardization of licensing framework for new reactors; and create a nuclear exports working group. To view the full text of the International Nuclear Energy Act, click here.
It would require a cabinet-level biennial summit on safety and security and relationships between industry and government.
“If the US doesn’t lead on nuclear energy development, Russia and China will,” said one of the bill’s sponsors, Idaho Republican Jim Risch.
“This bill will give us the tools we need to compete with these authoritarian aggressors and build long-lasting nuclear energy deals that benefit our economy and ensure America remains the leader on nuclear energy for generations to come.
Risch said in a statement that The International Nuclear Energy Act is supported by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the Washington-based Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) lobby group, and Clearpath Action, a Republican group that advocates for clean energy.
John Wagner, director of the INL, said securing American leadership in global nuclear deployment is essential to national security, meeting international energy demand, and ensuring that “safe, reliable technologies define the global standard”.
Maria Korsnick, president and chief executive officer of the NEI, said countries are turning to nuclear energy to meet growing energy demands with reliable, secure, abundant, affordable, and clean sources.
She said the legislation will “help maintain US global leadership in commercial nuclear technology”.
Jeremy Harrell, chief executive officer of ClearPath Action, said the US remains the foremost nuclear power in the world, but developing countries have more recently looked to Russia and China for their new nuclear needs. He said the legislation “wisely puts new tools in America’s energy tool belt to support domestic technologies racing to the global marketplace to compete”.
According to media reports this week, the administration is considering several executive orders aimed at speeding up the construction of nuclear power plants to help meet rising electricity demand.
The draft orders say the US has fallen behind China in expanding nuclear power and call for a “wholesale revision” of federal safety regulations to make it easier to build new plants.
They also set a goal of quadrupling the size of the nation’s fleet of nuclear power plants, from about 96.5 GW of net electric capacity today to 400 GW by 2050.
“Our goal is to bring in tens of billions of dollars during this administration in private capital to get reactors built, and I’m highly confident we will achieve that goal,” Chris Wright, the energy secretary, said at a hearing before a House appropriations subcommittee last week.
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