Key facts
- Three advanced nuclear reactors have reached criticality through an Energy Department program.
- This milestone meets the administration's self-set July 4 goal.
- Deployable Energy, Antares, and Valar Atomics are among the companies involved.
- Commercial licensing for these reactors still requires approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Experts cite financing and fuel supply as major hurdles to commercialization.
The Trump administration announced Wednesday that three advanced nuclear reactors had reached criticality, a key operational milestone, fulfilling a self-imposed July 4 goal to advance the technology. Deployable Energy's reactor was the third to achieve this stable nuclear chain reaction under a program sponsored by the Energy Department. This development aligns with the administration's push for a "nuclear renaissance" to meet soaring energy demand, partly driven by power-hungry data centers.
Experts, however, caution that significant commercial deployment of these small modular reactors (SMRs) could still be years away. While the Energy Department has accelerated processes for demonstration reactors, the ultimate authority for commercial licenses rests with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which is undergoing reforms to streamline its review process. Michael Goff, principal deputy assistant secretary of DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, expressed optimism that the DOE's involvement could lead to an accelerated licensing process.
Despite the progress, challenges remain. The pilot program is designed for demonstration reactors, not immediate commercial power to the grid. Key hurdles include securing financing for the substantial capital costs of even small reactors and a current shortage of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel. Additionally, some smaller units may not possess sufficient power output for the demands of large data centers, according to James Richards of the Nuclear Innovation Alliance.
Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists criticized the program for lacking federal financing, calling it a "performative exercise." Alison Hahn, former head of advanced reactors at the Energy Department, noted that while the pilot program moves the needle technically and on the supply chain, it does not guarantee immediate grid integration or powering data centers.