The National Reactor Innovation Center at Idaho National Laboratory has selected 12 companies for a second round of its Nuclear Energy Launch Pad, a Department of Energy program that fast tracks authorization, testing, and deployment support for private nuclear fuel and reactor developers. The program grew out of the DOE's Reactor Pilot Program and Fuel Line Pilot Program.
Eight of the 12 companies chosen, including Atlas Atomics, Forge Atomics, Hexium, Lightbridge, Nusano, Raven-Flint Nuclear, Scaled Atomics, and Sublime Nuclear, had not previously taken part in a DOE pilot program. The remaining four, Antares Nuclear, Deployable Energy, Oklo, and Valar Atomics, are among the reactor developers that reached zero power fueled criticality earlier this year. Selected projects span fuel fabrication, uranium enrichment, and conversion technology, areas the department has identified as critical to rebuilding a domestic nuclear fuel supply chain.
"A resilient nuclear fuel supply chain is essential to America's energy future, and the projects selected today reflect real progress on fabrication, enrichment, and conversion technologies," said Josh Jarrell, deputy assistant secretary for the nuclear fuel cycle at the Department of Energy. Idaho National Laboratory Director John Wagner said the Launch Pad "makes those capabilities available to developers, helping them move technologies from design to deployment safely and efficiently."
Companies selected for the Launch Pad gain access to technical, regulatory, and deployment support from the national laboratory system, along with a prioritized path through the DOE authorization process. NRIC Director Brad Tomer said the selections show "a strong and growing interest from developers ready to move their technologies forward."
Source: Nuclear Newswire, American Nuclear Society - https://www.ans.org/news/2026-08-25/article-8338/second-round-of-launch-pad-selections-includes-eight-newcomers/