US-based hybrid nuclear reactor company Ampera will file for a license for its microreactors under new regulations finalized by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the company said.

The new regulation is expected to help companies expedite licensing their technologies. 

With increasing demand for energy without carbon emissions, nuclear energy is poised for a major comeback. While countries like China are investing heavily in building large-scale nuclear power plants, concerns about their safety and costs have prompted the development of small and micro-scale reactors as well. 

Multiple startups in the US are developing small- and micro-scale reactors that can be produced at scale in a factory and then transported to the installation site. This helps reduce manufacturing costs, while a modular setup also allows facilities to scale up to meet variable output requirements. 

Florida-based Ampera is one such startup, but it is using a different approach altogether. 

What does Ampera do? 

Ampera is building thorium-enabled microreactors with outputs in the 15-30 MWe range. An important feature of these microreactors is that they do not require refueling, enabling continuous operation for decades. 

Ampera’s reactors use TRISO fuel, which is abundantly available from thorium, eliminating the need for fuel enrichment. The heat generated by the fission reaction is used to drive a turbine that uses supercritical CO2 as the working fluid. This is designed to allow water-free operation and low energy costs. 

Ampera is also using artificial intelligence (AI) to develop its technology, aiming to power off-grid infrastructure with safe, compact nuclear energy systems. All new systems need approvals from the US NRC for licensing, and Ampera is no exception. However, it is taking a different route to licensing after updates issued by the NRC this February. 

Using new regulations for nuclear reactor licensing 

In February this year, the NRC finalized a new voluntary regulatory framework, 10 CFR Part 53, specifically for licensing advanced nuclear reactors, including those with light-water designs. 

The purpose of the new regulation is to streamline and expedite advanced reactor technologies by moving away from prescriptive norms toward risk- and performance-based approaches. 

Work on this regulation began in 2020, and a final version was drafted in 2024. Following an 18-month waiting period, the regulations were implemented in February this year, and startups like Ampera have publicly stated their interest in taking this route for licensing approvals. 

“With the NRC implementing Part 53, innovative, advanced nuclear concepts like ours can focus on licensing new technology rather than explaining how it is different from traditional nuclear systems,” said AMPERA Founder and CEO Brian Matthews in the press release.  

Days after the NRC implemented Part 53, Ampera submitted a formal letter expressing its desire to begin the pre-application process for its factory-made containerized microreactor. 

While it has not yet received a response from the NRC’s Office of Nuclear Regulation, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, and Division of Fuel Management, the company is looking to meet officials before May end to align on engagement structure and scope, the press release added. 

“The NRC’s new regulatory process is an effective way to ensure the same level of safety while acknowledging the different types of technology that are coming to the market,” said AMPERA’s Licensing Strategist, Dr. April Smith.

“AMPERA looks forward to working with the NRC as it goes through the licensing process to bring next-generation nuclear reactors to market that can be commercially produced in a factory setting.”