Nuclear energy has a reputation for being massive, expensive, and slow to build. However, a company called Radiant is trying to change that narrative by thinking small and fast. The California-based startup just cleared two major hurdles that bring its portable “Kaleidos” microreactor much closer to reality.
First, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gave Radiant’s safety analysis the green light. This is a big deal because it’s the first time a full-power test has been approved under a new, faster authorization process. It basically means the government agrees that Radiant’s design is safe enough to move forward.
A Summer Start
Because of this approval, Radiant is staying on schedule to start up its first microreactor this summer. The test will happen at the Idaho National Laboratory in a facility appropriately named DOME.
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“The DOE’s approval of our DARK submission is a major validation of Radiant’s safety-first approach and the strength of our reactor design,” said Dr. Rita Baranwal, Radiant’s Chief Nuclear Officer. “Completing the second phase of the Authorization Pathway positions us to move confidently into startup activities and demonstrates that advanced nuclear systems can progress rapidly while meeting rigorous safety requirements.”
Scaling Microreactors
While the engineers are busy in Idaho, the business side is moving just as fast. Radiant recently announced it raised more than $300 million in a new funding round. This money is earmarked for a new factory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where they plan to mass-produce these reactors.
The idea is to build nuclear generators that can be tucked into a shipping container and sent wherever they are needed, whether that’s a remote military base, a disaster zone, or a mine in the middle of nowhere.
“Micro-scaled nuclear, mass produced for the first time ever, can transform how the public thinks about nuclear energy,” said Doug Bernauer, CEO and Founder of Radiant. “This funding enables us to build our factory and keep to our DOME schedule, where we will achieve self-sustained chain reaction on a reactor designed by, built by, fueled by, and operated by Radiant alongside our partners at the Idaho National Lab.”
