Idaho National Laboratory tests next-generation micro reactors

Next-generation nuclear technology is advancing at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a 900-square-mile testing ground for nuclear energy. This summer, three companies at INL and one in central Utah successfully activated new types of reactors.

Startup Deployable Energy recently achieved a milestone by taking its test reactor "critical," marking the first time the design achieved a sustained chain reaction. Unlike traditional large-scale nuclear plants, the company is developing micro reactors designed for portability. Chief Operating Officer Lance Maul stated, "It's something deployable... it is a fundamentally different proposition." These smaller units are intended to power remote communities, military bases, and AI data centers to meet rising electricity demands without carbon emissions.

The acceleration of these projects follows efforts by the Department of Energy to speed up reactor permitting.