Ushering in a New Era for Nuclear Energy

According to the International Energy Agency, nuclear power is set to reach a new record in 2025 and can improve energy security as electricity demand accelerates. Can you first describe what Nano Nuclear Energy does and then elaborate on how the company is preparing for this “new era” for nuclear energy?

Nano Nuclear Energy will be a “one-stop” shop for all things nuclear. This is not hyperbole. The company is in the process of designing, developing, and soon producing microreactors of varying power that provide the end user with a customizable solution based on need. Its product line includes:

• Zeus, a solid core battery reactor producing 1 MW of electric power. A closed system, it is transportable by truck, rail, ship, or air.  Ideal for remote locations, military, and off-grid installations requiring reliable, low-maintenance power sources.
• Odin, a low-pressure salt coolant reactor, producing 1 MW of electric, and 5 MW thermal. Applications include industrial sites, and remote communities.
• Kronos, a high-temperature gas cooled reactor utilizing Triso particle fuel. Kronos is stationary. It produces 15 MW of electric, 10 – 45 MW thermal, and 300 MW/yr of energy content. Applications include all manner of stationary power needs from campuses to data centers and grid support.
• Loki, Nano’s space-focused portable reactor. Engineered for portability in the harsh environment of outer space, it is designed to provide 1.5MW – 5MW of power.

Non-organically — and perhaps most notably — Nano has grown through the acquisitions of the former Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation’s reactor design IP. This technology is the only microreactor design pre-approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in the United States, and the most advanced reactor design for space exploration. Nano is actively seeking expansion of its Transportation capabilities, Consulting arm, and Space pursuits; the latter greatly informed via the referenced USNC acquisition.

Finally, Nano provided a strategic seed investment to Laser Isotope Separation Technologies (LIST) to guarantee a most efficient enrichment method to produce fuel for new reactors though which Nano become one of only six companies selected by Department of Energy to be a provider of LEU and LEU Plus.

The Trump administration has been focused on unleashing American energy and has been supportive of nuclear power. What potential regulation changes do you expect in the energy space under this administration?  

In late May, President Trump signed several Executive Orders showcasing nuclear energy as a major “arrow” in America’s energy dominance “quiver.” This signals to industry, government, the capital markets, and domestic and international audiences, that we are serious and back in the game in a big way. It should be noted this imperative enjoys wide bi-partisan support, as energy security equals national security.

As it relates to the NRC and other regulatory bodies, the obvious message is: Become enablers. While safety will always be paramount, the pendulum of redundant, unnecessary and burdensome regulations has, over time, swung so far as to create a condition antithetical to America’s competitiveness. I believe the U.S. government will focus on reversing this and restoring us to a place of primacy.

Do you have any unique predictions on the outlook of nuclear energy?

While not in the business of predictions, I do believe we will witness a change for the positive in public perception as people shed old-think notions of nuclear as they become more aware of advances in technology, fuel type and safety. This, in turn, will usher in a new era — one where we can realistically grasp the numerous applications of nuclear energy across multiple sectors, embrace it, and perhaps even have it supplant traditional renewables as people realize its benefits as a clean, reliable and limitless source of power.