Valar Atomics Aims for Sub-$1/kg Nuclear Hydrogen with Utah Test Reactor by 2026

El Segundo, CA – Valar Atomics, a nuclear energy startup, has announced a partnership with the state of Utah to deploy its first test reactor in Emery County by 2026. This development is a crucial step in the company's ambitious plan to revolutionize energy production by making nuclear power significantly cheaper and leveraging it to produce low-cost hydrogen and synthetic hydrocarbon fuels. The company has secured $20.5 million in seed funding to advance its vision.

Valar Atomics, founded in 2023 by Isaiah Taylor, aims to drastically reduce the cost of nuclear energy, which has seen reactor costs increase tenfold since the 1960s and 70s primarily due to policy and indirect expenses. The company's core strategy revolves around the "Gigasite" concept, where "a massive reactor campus where you’ve built 100 of the same simple reactor over and over with diminishing marginal cost each time" will yield energy as cheaply as it was decades ago. This approach seeks to overcome the limitations of the existing grid by co-locating energy-intensive industries.

The company plans to utilize High-Temperature Gas Reactors (HTGRs), a fundamentally safer design that was "left behind in the nuclear tech tree in favor of standardization around the US Navy nuclear program," according to the company. These reactors, using TRISO fuel, are designed to produce high-temperature heat, which Valar Atomics believes is the key to unlocking new energy applications beyond electricity generation. This heat can reach over 950°C, making it suitable for industrial processes.

A significant focus of Valar Atomics is the production of chemical energy, which it states is "about 10 times cheaper and easier to transport than electricity." The company intends to produce hydrogen from water using nuclear energy, and if the hydrogen becomes cheap enough, it can be bonded with captured CO2 to create jet fuel, diesel, gasoline, and other hydrocarbons. This strategy aims to tap into a nearly unlimited distribution channel within the $4 trillion global fuel market, allowing Gigasites to grow to "many thousands of units all in one place."

The partnership with Utah comes as Valar Atomics, alongside several states, is challenging the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) over what it views as burdensome regulations that hinder advanced reactor development. Isaiah Taylor, a self-taught engineer, leads the company, supported by Chief Nuclear Officer Mark Mitchell, an expert in TRISO-fueled reactor design. The company's "Ward Zero" prototype is expected to be its first operational reactor.

While the concept of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and nuclear-produced synthetic fuels holds promise, the industry faces challenges including high upfront costs, regulatory hurdles, and public perception. Detractors note that no SMRs are yet commercially operational in the U.S., and TRISO fuel, while inherently safe, produces a higher volume of nuclear waste. Valar Atomics, however, maintains that its integrated business model and focus on "selling fuel not reactors" will allow it to achieve unprecedented scale and cost efficiencies, paving the way for a new atomic age.