Florida-based nuclear startup AMPERA’s established an Australia-based subsidiary to streamline the use of thorium from Australia to fuel its “factory-built, scalable, supercritical nuclear energy system’, the company said Tuesday.
According to AMPERA’s press release, these efforts build off the framework the U.S. government announced with Australia to secure supply for mining and processing critical, rare minerals. The company formed Ampera Australia Pty Ltd in February to expedite the procurement and import of thorium to the U.S., months after AMPERA was founded in November 2025.
Advanced thorium fuel cycles have the potential to achieve higher fuel usage than conventional uranium fuel cycles, AMPERA said. “Thorium is the future for ultra-safe, clean power production,” AMPERA CEO Brian Matthews said. “By producing TRISO thorium kernels in the United States, we can ensure ample access to the needed fuel supply as we scale up and also minimize price volatility risk.”
Oklo has bought Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based manufacturing and engineering company ARMEC to expand its own internal reactor and fuel manufacturing capabilities, the company said this week.
California-based Oklo said in a Monday press release that the acquisition, closed on June 4, highlights the company’s broader strategy of “integrating critical execution capabilities closer to its reactor, fuel fabrication, and recycling programs as it advances from design into deployment.”
ARMEC, founded in 2002, is a manufacturing and mechanical engineering firm that specializes in nuclear manufacturing and fabrication. With the transaction completed, a team of 40 engineers, fabricators, welders and technical personnel will be added to Oklo’s programs.
The Department of Energy approved a startup fusion company’s preconceptual design and technology development roadmap milestone this week for Athena, which is reference architecture for its fleet of fusion power plants.
Denver-based Xcimer Energy said in its Wednesday press release that its 724-page submission provided DOE reviewers with a detailed assessment of its plant performance targets, financials, engineering requirement, safety and environment analyses, and technology development pathways needed to achieve commercial fusion power.
Designed for continuous operation, Athena “integrates the company’s proprietary excimer laser platform with target delivery, fusion chamber, tritium breeding, and power generation systems engineered from the outset for industrial scale,” according to the release. Xcimer Energy was founded in 2022.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will host a hybrid observation meeting on June 15 to give the public an opportunity to see the agency is performing its regulatory function and to discuss regulatory issues.
NRC said in its meeting memo that the meeting will be an all day meeting, starting at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time and will conclude at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. The meeting will be held at headquarters, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md. It can also be viewed on Microsoft Teams.
According to the memo, the purpose of the meeting is to “facilitate an exchange of technical information,” between the public about advanced reactor deployment, design codes, materials management and the licensing processes.