Antares on June 4 became the first company to run a new-design nuclear reactor in the United States in nearly 50 years, achieving the milestone at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The event, which backers call a turning point for the nuclear industry, was made possible by billions of dollars in private and government funding. The startup's CEO, Jordan Bramble, said, "This is the first real moment in this new nuclear renaissance."
Government Support and Private Investment Drive New Reactor Development
The program, launched in 2025 under President Donald Trump, includes several startups. Aalo Atomics is set to run a new-design reactor in the coming days, also at INL, just hours before the July 4 presidential target date marking the nation's 250th anniversary. On June 18, Valar Atomics reached criticality—the point at which a reactor can sustain its own nuclear chain reaction—in Utah. INL had paused new reactor development after accidents at Three Mile Island and Chornobyl, but the war in Ukraine and the AI boom revived civilian nuclear power under both Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
Small Modular Reactors Promise Cheaper, Safer Nuclear Power
These small modular reactors (SMRs) are compact enough to be transported by a pickup truck. They promise cheaper, faster-to-build nuclear power that can be deployed almost anywhere, from remote military bases to power-hungry data centers. However, they have yet to be proven at commercial scale, and some analysts doubt they can compete on cost with wind and solar. The new reactors use different technology from conventional plants, ruling out cascading disasters and allowing simpler construction. Yasir Arafat, President and CTO of Aalo Atomics, said, "The whole plant can get simpler. We don't need to have several feet thick of concrete and steel line containment."
Regulatory Process and Safety Standards
Reaching criticality is not the same as being ready for commercial use. The reactor designs operate under a special government waiver and still need clearance from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Tori Shivanandan, President and COO of Radiant Nuclear, emphasized the importance of safety: "The team at the lab, they hold the line, and we want them to, because ultimately, if we don't make safe products, we'll never sell reactors."
Future Deployment and Export Potential
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, speaking at a "celebration of the golden age of nuclear energy" in Idaho Falls, expressed optimism: "We'll have hundreds by the end of the decade. In fact, our aggressive goal is that we will have some of these reactors producing electricity for beneficial use next year." Radiant's first SMRs will go to US military sites, as will Antares's, while Aalo is targeting data centres. Wright also highlighted nuclear power as a tool for American influence abroad, noting that China is the only other country operating an SMR. "Every country I go to asks about the next-generation American nuclear technology. I say...it's happening right now," Wright said. "This will be a massive American export a decade from now."
