A California-based startup is building compact, water-cooled nuclear reactors designed specifically for marine environments. Bluecore Energy is fresh off a $50 million seed funding round to advance its project. Now, the company is checking off several major milestones to get its technology into the water.

Powering Maritime Nuclear Energy

BlueCore Energy
Photo: Bluecore Energy

First, Bluecore bought low-enriched uranium hexafluoride from market intermediary WMC Group. This material is currently at a U.S. facility outside California. Later, workers will convert it into uranium dioxide, make it into fuel pellets, and assemble it for future hardware testing.

“We’ve moved quickly since launching Bluecore Energy, but speed only matters if it is paired with rigor. We are putting the pieces in place across fuel, testing, engineering, safety, regulation, and maritime classification at the same time,” Kofi Asante, Founder and CEO, Bluecore Energy, said. “That is what it takes to turn this technology into a real system, and ultimately deliver reliable, zero-emission energy where it is needed most.”

Jander, Director, WMC nuclear fuel team, added, “As a leading intermediary in the global nuclear fuel market, WMC is excited by the emergence of marine nuclear and proud to bring our expertise to a new generation of reactor developers like Bluecore Energy. Establishing a reliable nuclear fuel supply is a fundamental part of advancing any reactor program. Bluecore Energy is approaching that work with the seriousness and long-term thinking the nuclear industry requires, and we look forward to continuing to work together.”

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Clearing the Regulatory and Safety Hurdles

Building a nuclear reactor takes more than buying fuel. You also need permission to operate it safely. In August, Bluecore started pre-application discussions with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard to walk through its conceptual designs.

“Fuel is obviously fundamental to building a nuclear energy system, but what matters just as much is the environment and process around how you test it,” Megan Moyette, Licensing & Safety Lead, Bluecore Energy, added. “Having access to the expertise and infrastructure at the largest commercial nuclear fuel facility in the U.S. allows us to approach this next phase with the rigor it requires. Our goal is not simply to move fast. It is to create and deliver zero-emission energy as safely and quickly as possible.”

Bluecore also received an Approval in Principle from the American Bureau of Shipping in June 2026, which made it the first U.S.-designed floating nuclear plant concept to reach that milestone.

Today, Bluecore works out of the Port of Long Beach, testing non-fueled reactor prototypes. It does not store real nuclear fuel or operate active reactors at the port, but its parallel efforts in fuel sourcing, safety, and regulation are establishing its first real-world system.