Radiant Successfully Completes Passive Cooldown Test for Kaleidos Nuclear Microreactor

Milestone Puts Radiant on Track for Historic Reactor Test in 2026.

October 15, 2024

October 15, 2024 — Radiant Industries, Incorporated, a leading developer of nuclear microreactors, is excited to announce the successful completion of a critical passive cooldown demonstration of its Kaleidos system. The accomplishment marks a major step toward the company's goal of bringing the world’s first factory-constructed microreactors to market. Radiant remains on track to test Kaleidos at the Idaho National Laboratory in 2026, making theirs the first new reactor design to be operated in 50 years.

The September 17 demonstration of the passive cooldown system, which allows the reactor to safely shut down and cool off without power, underscored the reactor's suitability for deployment even in populated urban areas. The reactor safety system triggers a shutdown within 300 milliseconds of detecting an emergency condition.

Radiant’s microreactors replace diesel generators and can be rapidly deployed to provide critical power for remote villages, emergency response, and military installations. The Kaleidos system is meltdown-proof and leak-safe, ensuring the protection of people and the environment.

“Consider recent disaster situations like Hurricanes Helene and Milton – if rapid and portable nuclear was available, powered relief could be CO2 free, carcinogen fume free, and avoid moving thousands of gallons of fuel every day. The recovery effort logistics can instead prioritize people with supplies and medical personnel,” said Doug Bernauer, CEO and co-founder of Radiant. “This is our final test prior to building the unit that will have uranium fuel loaded and the reactor operating at a national lab as soon as 2026. A nuclear reactor on the back of a tractor-trailer is coming sooner than you think.”

Among those in attendance at Radiant’s headquarters in El Segundo was Brian Smith, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors at the US Department of Energy, who offered introductory remarks before the passive cooldown demo.

"The U.S. Department of Energy is excited about Radiant's progress, and we continue to follow their work closely," said Smith. "The entire microreactor program stands to benefit from Radiant's ongoing research and development of Kaleidos."

Radiant’s Kaleidos microreactor is a 1MW nuclear power plant in a box, capable of continuously powering 1,000 homes. It can be shipped by land, sea, or air and installed in a matter of days. The reactor is designed to be inherently safe, with TRISO fuel that can withstand temperatures of 1,600°C, enabling a modern, meltdown-proof reactor design.