Derek Haas

Join us on April 6th for the Texas Nuclear Symposium as part of UT Energy Week 2026! Register Now: sites.utexas.edu/energy-week/

Texas supercomputers are powering the future of advanced nuclear.​ Our work with @UTAustin lets us model the core physics of our molten salt reactor with unmatched precision, reinforcing safety and accelerating our path to commercial deployment.​ ​ More: naturaresources.com/natura-resourc…

@joshdr83 @MichaelEWebber doi.org/10.1016/j.enec…

Ivy Seidel (UT grad student) published an article on the economics of nuclear in ERCOT. Nuclear is competitive when gas CAPEX and fuel prices hit today's levels. Market design should value energy sources that reduce price volatility. w/ @joshdr83 @MichaelEWebber Kevin Clarno

@mjscarangella @Atomicrod You appear to know very little. ACU and Natura are not suing the NRC, are one of the few projects with an approved NRC construction permit, and have designed the research reactor to provide data that will support the licensing of Natura’s commercial reactors.

@Atomicrod Or, they can make a spectacle, lots of noise, big claims and fail. But what do I know? Carry on.

This might be the most interesting – and impactful – advanced nuclear energy development of the day. NOV – a respected, century-old manufacturing company – announced the sale of Shepherd Power to Natura. Shepherd Power is NOV's advanced nuclear development organization. Natura (@NaturaResources) is best known the company that is building the 1 MW molten salt research reactor at Abilene Christian University. NOV will become part of the supply chain for Natura as it develops its product line to include a 100 MWe reactor based on the learnings from the small research reactor. Doug Robison, Natura founder and CEO, provided the following comment on how the new alignment will affect Natura's future success: "Combined with NOV’s expertise in scaling highly engineered equipment to drive down delivery costs, this transaction positions us to lead in delivering gigawatts of safe, advanced nuclear reactors within the next 5 years to support critical power needs and fuel American A.I. leadership.”

New Report: Cultivating Homegrown Nuclear Talent in Texas nuclear.engr.utexas.edu/about-the-prog…

We've partnered with @CockrellSchool Nuclear & Radiation Engineering Program to bring you Nuclear Niche, a brand-new networking hub! It's open to all UT student curious about energy, technology, and innovation - register your interest: lnkd.in/gUhahZwW

We have three openings for tenure-track faculty positions related to nuclear engineering @UTAustin. One position is focused on nuclear materials and nuclear robotics, and we have two positions in thermal fluid systems.

@Atomicrod @isodope scoutmotors.com

Today's the day! Rad Future by Isabelle Boemeke (@isodope) is now available from your favorite bookseller. If you preordered, it should be delivered very soon. If you haven't ordered yet, I recommend you do so soon.

Everyone interested in nuclear startup companies should read this article. Actual expertise is critical.

@Beazy_Rampezy @NRCgov That's what the NRC said: "The NRC looks forward to future interactions on more comprehensive technical information, clearly defined design features, and a well-articulated design basis to facilitate effective engagement."

The @NRCgov issues a response to Last Energy’s Hermetically Sealed Containment white paper: The NRC agrees that a design that limits hazards to workers and the public to levels indistinguishable from background provides reasonable assurance and protection. So go do it I guess!

@whatisnuclear Did he ever post a reply to the analysis of the spent fuel dose rate?

Isaiah and his team are speed-running the Rickover memo. Rather than luxuriating in elegant ideas (or pre-application engagement), they are totally focused on the practical issues of getting fission heat out of uranium and into synfuels. Their approach and style rub many in the nuclear industry the wrong way. They come off as absurdly overconfident and hopelessly naïve. Elder nuclear fanboys have been disappointed by similar hyped claims so many times in the past ("too cheap to meter", Peach Bottom, LFTR, Transatomic). But Valar is taking a lesser-traveled 'learn nuclear as you go' approach that may end up finding something unexpected and useful. Personally, I think their reactors will make unworkably expensive energy driven by high nuclear fuel costs due to the inherently poor neutronics of small low-density HALEU TRISO-fueled cores, and also the high maintenance and operations costs of helium handling systems. But I think the worst case scenario here is not "duh, I told you so", but rather "I'm glad you tried that and found out what you did, and thanks for helping get more HTGR supply chain and skilled HTGR workers going again in the USA". And of course, the best case scenario is a shitload of nuclear-powered synfuel. So I'm cheering them on! It's obviously physically possible to get a small test reactor up and running by July 4, 2026, especially one that only runs for a few weeks and doesn't need to be even remotely well-running or economical. It'd be awesome if Valar can pull this off. I'd guess that the critical paths are going to be fuel supply (just snag some fron BWXT?) and legal/regulatory for sure. Anyway, I still don't recommend holding the spent fuel 😉.

@Atomicrod @nuclearzak Here is the real issue with the application of LNT. Some think we can have zero risk from nuclear power, and some realize that risk is inherent in being alive. The issue is whether different thresholds of risk are acceptable for one tech vs another.

@nuclearzak Why do we have to make that guarantee? We can guarantee, beyond all doubt that the harm from radiation exposures below a modest level is less than the harm that we already accept from combusting coal, oil and natural gas.

Zach Van Horn @nuclearzak and I have been engaging in a lengthy exchange about radiation protection models. He consistently defends the use of the current model, which asserts that all doses of radiation, down to a single gamma ray, are harmful and should be avoided whenever possible. The model also ignores the importance of the rate at which exposures are given, indicating that a dose absorbed in a few seconds causes identical damage as the same dose absorbed slowly over an entire lifetime. In opposition, I've been trying to explain, in my generalist way, that evolved human biology has excellent repair mechanisms that work even better on low dose rates when they are not overwhelmed and instead have time to function as designed (or evolved.) This results in a situation where small doses of radiation cause no harm and should be accepted. A biologically informed risk model could avoid some incredible wastes as relocating whole populations from slightly contaminated areas and expensive, environmentally damaging efforts to scrape valuable topsoil. It is a timely discussion in the face of the release of new Executive Orders. Please join in.

@FacemireJon @Ember421 @Dr_A_Stein Natura’s commercial license application will be able to leverage NRC findings related to the safety related systems in the research reactor that will be fundamental to the commercial reactor. The CP also demonstrates a company’s ability to navigate the licensing process.

@FacemireJon @Ember421 @Dr_A_Stein Each company will have different licensing strategies. Natura and Kairos are pretty similar as far as I can tell (compared to X-energy and TerraPower, or the many companies that have not yet submitted an application, for example). Getting a CP is no small thing.

The NRC needs to be efficient, but some of the shortest timelines are from developers with the least regulatory engagement. The timeline set in the ADVANCE Act for subsequent licensing (not FOAK) at an existing site is 18 months for NRC staff review. They need to apply soon...

Bill details: legis.texas.gov/BillLookup/His…

Live stream house.texas.gov/videos/21835

The Texas House of Representatives is about to discuss HB 14 - Relating to support for the development of the nuclear energy industry.

@NickVise @whatisnuclear And make it LEU. @NaturaResources

@whatisnuclear Bulk synthesis of UCl3 / UF4 fuel salt

I enjoyed listening to another amazing Decouple podcast episode with Prof Koroush Shirvan from MIT talking about nuclear fuel costs. This is an absolute "must-listen" for all of us trying to make reactors really cheap.