US private nuclear technology reaches historic milestone.

On November 17th, Valar Atomics, a California-based startup, announced that it had achieved criticality – the state of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction, a significant milestone in reactor development.

This is the first company in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) pilot program to achieve this milestone.

A model of the equipment at Valar Atomics' research facility illustrates the advanced nuclear reactor technology currently under development. (Source: Valar Atomics)

According to CEO Isaiah Taylor, the "zero-power criticality" state—that is, a nuclear chain reaction at extremely low energy levels—is likened to the reactor's "first heartbeat." This indicates that the design and physics calculations have worked as expected.

At this reaction level, the reactor does not generate significant electricity or heat, but primarily serves the purpose of verification – confirming that the fuel, reactor geometry, and technical parameters can maintain a stable nuclear reaction. This is considered an important first step before moving to operation at higher power.

Notably, the experimental reactor was not entirely developed by Valar itself, but rather a combination of the company's fuel and technology with structural components from Los Alamos National Laboratory. This was a cautious step to verify the fuel geometry and the feasibility of the design.

The DOE's pilot program was established following a presidential order allowing 11 nuclear startups to conduct rapid testing without going through the complex licensing process of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The goal is to have at least three companies achieve "criticality" by July 4, 2026.

Valar Atomics has set an ambitious goal: to bring the complete reactor into operation before this deadline. However, experts warn that this timeline may be too ambitious, as commercialization still requires approval from the NRC.

Nevertheless, this initial success is seen as a significant milestone, ushering in a new era for private nuclear technology in the United States.

A rendering of "Gigasite" developed by Valar Atomics (Source: Valar Atomics)

Previously, on November 10th, Valar Atomics announced the successful raising of $130 million in a new funding round, with participation from major investors such as Palmer Luckey - founder of Anduril Industries, and Shyam Sankar - Chief Technology Officer of Palantir.

This funding round was led by venture capital funds Snowpoint Ventures, Day One Ventures, and Dream Ventures. In addition, John Donovan – a Lockheed Martin board member and former AT&T executive – also participated. Valar has raised over $150 million in total to date.

This fundraising event demonstrates investors' confidence in next-generation nuclear technology and strengthens Valar Atomics' position in the race to develop clean and safe energy.

Minh Hoan

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/cong-nghe-hat-nhan-tu-nhan-cua-my-cham-cot-moc-lich-su-ar987885.html