NANO Nuclear Energy has achieved a significant engineering milestone in its collaboration with engineering and consulting firm Fortil to develop the Fuel Handling & Storage System for its proprietary KRONOS MMR™ Energy System. The subsystem, which is essential for the safe handling, storage, and management of nuclear fuel throughout reactor operations, has successfully completed the conceptual design phase and is now moving into preliminary design. Fortil’s multidisciplinary nuclear engineering team has worked alongside NANO Nuclear to define key subsystem interfaces, evaluate engineering solutions, and establish the technical documentation required for future development. The progress follows recent regulatory advancements, including the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s acceptance and formal review of the KRONOS MMR™ Construction Permit Application for deployment at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with initial construction activities targeted for the second half of 2027, subject to approvals.
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NANO Nuclear believes KRONOS remains the first commercially ready microreactor program to reach this stage of the NRC licensing process. “The successful commercialization of advanced nuclear technology depends upon disciplined engineering execution alongside continued regulatory progress. Our collaboration with Fortil on the Fuel Handling & Storage System represents another important milestone in advancing the KRONOS MMR™ program and further strengthens the technical foundation supporting future deployment. As this critical subsystem progresses from conceptual design into preliminary design, we continue to mature the reactor architecture, systematically reduce technical risk and build the engineering basis necessary to support future licensing, construction and commercialization,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear Energy.