The Department of Energy approved the preliminary documented safety analysis for Radiant Nuclear’s Kaleidos demonstration reactor Monday.
El Segundo, Calif.-based Radiant becomes the second company to have its safety analysis approved by DOE under its advanced reactor pilot program, with the first being Antares Nuclear. Through the program, DOE has set a goal of at least three demonstration reactors reaching criticality by July 4 this year.
Radiant, which is one of 10 companies selected under the reactor program, is developing a portable high-temperature gas-cooled microreactor, named Kaleidos, which produces up to one megawatt of electricity. The reactor is designed to generate power in “mission-critical environments, supporting both national security” and commercial energy needs, according to Radiant’s press release.
The company said this approval closes out the second of three nuclear safety document submissions in DOE’s new authorization process for nuclear facilities, according to the release.
The approval also paves the way towards reactor startup at the National Reactor Innovation Center’s Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) facility at DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory, Radiant said.
“The DOE’s approval of our DARK [DOE Authorization Request for Kaleidos] submission is a major validation of Radiant’s safety-first approach and the strength of our reactor design,” Rita Baranwal, Radiant’s chief nuclear officer, said.
Baranwal continued: “completing the second phase of the authorization pathway positions us to move confidently into start-up activities and demonstrates that advanced nuclear systems can progress rapidly while meeting rigorous safety requirements.”
After completing the preliminary safety analysis, Radiant said it is preparing to submit its final documented safety analysis and readiness review, putting it on the path to authorization and reactor criticality by the summer.