Deployable Energy’s Unity reactor reached criticality at Idaho National Laboratory, making the United States the first nation to achieve the milestone with three different advanced microreactor designs in one month.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The United States has reached a major marker in advanced nuclear development after a third next-generation reactor achieved criticality ahead of a July 4 deadline set under President Donald Trump’s nuclear energy initiative.
Deployable Energy’s Unity reactor reached criticality on June 30 during a zero-power fueled demonstration at Idaho National Laboratory, according to the Department of Energy. Criticality is the stable nuclear state required for a reactor to sustain a controlled chain reaction and produce steady energy.
The milestone followed similar achievements earlier in June by Antares Nuclear’s Mark-0 and Valar Atomics’ Ward 250 under the DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program. Together, the three demonstrations made the United States “the first country in history to achieve criticality in three unique advanced microreactor designs in a single month,” according to the submitted information.
Trump signed an executive order in May 2025 directing the DOE to launch a pilot program aimed at accelerating advanced reactor testing outside national laboratories. The order set July 4, 2026, as the deadline for at least three advanced reactor concepts to reach criticality.
Unity, developed by Idaho-based Deployable Energy, is described by the company as a compact, one-megawatt electric, water-moderated, gas-cooled deployable nuclear battery. The company said the system is designed to provide “reliable, carbon-free power” in locations where conventional energy systems cannot easily be deployed.
The reactor is expected to support defense missions, remote communities, critical infrastructure resilience and industrial energy needs in the United States.
Deployable Energy will now move Unity into a phased testing program. That process will evaluate the reactor’s inherent safety, nuclear physics and full-power operations.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the achievement reflected the administration’s broader push to expand nuclear energy.
“America’s nuclear renaissance is underway because of President Trump’s bold vision and ambitious goals. Yesterday, we accomplished a significant milestone on a timeline many thought was unachievable,” Wright said.
“Advanced nuclear technologies like Unity will help power the next generation of American industry, strengthen our energy security, and ensure the United States remains the world’s nuclear innovation leader.”
The Unity experiment was completed through the DOE’s Nuclear Energy Launch Pad initiative, which is managed by the National Reactor Innovation Center at Idaho National Laboratory. The initiative uses DOE authorization to accelerate certification and construction of advanced nuclear technologies for demonstration purposes.
The criticality milestone comes as the Trump administration pushes to expand U.S. nuclear power capacity. Trump has set a goal of increasing nuclear energy capacity from about 100 gigawatts in 2024 to 400 gigawatts by 2050, according to a Jan. 19 DOE fact sheet cited in the submitted material.
“More than 100 gigawatts (GW) of firm reliable power were projected to retire by 2030,” the DOE said. “Without the election of President Trump and a dramatic shift in energy policy, blackouts could have increased 100 times in 2030.”
“Nuclear Power will play an important role in unleashing more affordable, reliable, and secure electricity to the American people.”
The DOE also announced last month that the administration will offer funding intended to rebuild the domestic commercial nuclear supply chain. The department’s finance office has launched a $17.5 billion loan program that Wright said is expected to reduce construction costs for nuclear reactors.
The loans are projected to accelerate deployment of 10 new large nuclear reactors by up to three years.
“Just over one year ago, President Trump directed the Energy Department and its agency partners to unleash the next American nuclear renaissance,” Wright said. “To accomplish that mission, these conditional loans will play an important role in reviving the supply chain needed for America to once again build large-scale commercial reactors.”
Regulatory changes are also underway. On July 1, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission proposed reforms intended to modernize reactor licensing and safety practices. The commission oversees licensing and regulation of nuclear energy and radioactive materials.
The proposed updates are expected to speed reactor construction. NRC Chairman Ho Nieh said the agency’s rules have not kept pace with national energy demand or technological development.
Nieh said the proposal would remove “rigid frameworks and unnecessary conservatism” to accelerate nuclear deployment in the United States.
The Unity demonstration, combined with the Mark-0 and Ward 250 milestones, gives the administration a concrete result in its effort to revive and expand the nation’s nuclear sector. The next phase will depend on testing, licensing, financing and whether advanced reactors can move from demonstration projects into broader commercial and defense use.
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