Micro-reactor hits criticality at Idaho lab, sparking both optimism and safety worries

Deployable Energy’s small-scale reactor achieved a sustained chain reaction at Idaho National Laboratory, prompting excitement about micro-reactors and concerns over regulatory looseness.

In the high desert of Idaho, a startup called Deployable Energy succeeded in bringing its test reactor to criticality at the Idaho National Laboratory, demonstrating that a compact, truck-mountable nuclear unit can sustain a chain reaction. The company’s chief operating officer, Lance Maul, described the milestone as a historic turning point that could usher in a new generation of micro-reactors capable of supplying electricity to a thousand homes or remote facilities.

The achievement arrives amid a broader push by the Trump administration to fast-track nuclear projects, including streamlined permitting by the Department of Energy and staffing cuts at the nuclear regulatory commission. Proponents see the technology as a clean solution to rising U.S. energy demand, while critics like Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists warn that weakened safety standards could endanger nearby communities.

At a local bar in Atomic City, owner Vickie O'Haro, whose customers are lab workers, said she feels safe and proud of the development. Nonetheless, the debate over safety and regulation continues as the reactors move toward commercial approval.