Wedoany.com Report-Aug. 14, The US Department of Energy (DOE) has chosen 11 advanced reactor projects for its Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program, aiming to have at least three achieve criticality within a year. Announced in June, the program supports the testing of innovative reactor designs at non-national laboratory sites, following an executive order signed in May to streamline DOE authorization processes by July 4, 2026.

A rendering of an IMSR power plant at Texas A&M University's Rellis Campus

The selected companies include Aalo Atomics Inc., Antares Nuclear Inc., Atomic Alchemy Inc., Deep Fission Inc., Last Energy Inc., Natura Resources LLC, Oklo Inc. (with two projects), Radiant Industries Inc., Terrestrial Energy Inc., and Valar Atomics Inc. Each company will cover all costs for designing, building, operating, and decommissioning their reactors, while DOE authorization under the Atomic Energy Act facilitates private funding and accelerates future commercial licensing.

Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly stated: “President Trump's Reactor Pilot Program is a call to action. These companies aim to all safely achieve criticality by Independence Day, and DOE will do everything we can to support their efforts.” The DOE highlighted the diversity of the projects, which include Aalo’s 10 MWe sodium-cooled microreactor, Antares’ 500-kW sodium heat pipe-cooled reactor, and Deep Fission’s 15 MWe underground pressurized water reactor, among others.

Terrestrial Energy’s Project TETRA, focused on the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR), was selected to advance licensing for commercial IMSR plants. CEO Simon Irish said: “We are pleased to have been selected by the DOE for this important project, which will help the US win the race to energy dominance that is now so important for competitive commercial AI and the re-shoring of US manufacturing.” Oklo’s co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte, whose company secured three projects, including Atomic Alchemy’s 15-MWt light water reactor, stated: “This shows that the DOE is ushering in a new era of building new nuclear in America by unleashing its unique capabilities to enable American nuclear innovators to build.”

Aalo Atomics CEO Matt Loszak explained: “This means that the pressure is now on the companies selected under the RFA to deliver.” He noted that DOE’s concierge teams will streamline administrative processes, reducing delays significantly. The program’s competitive selection process underscores the DOE’s commitment to fostering innovation and efficiency in nuclear technology, supporting diverse reactor designs to meet future energy demands.