Applied Atomics secured exclusive rights to commercialize BWX Technologies' mPower small modular reactor, betting factory-built nuclear plants can help meet surging electricity demand from data centers.
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Applied Atomics licenses BWXT's mPower SMR for 195-MW nuclear plants
Applied Atomics secured exclusive rights to commercialize BWX Technologies' mPower small modular reactor, betting factory-built nuclear plants can help meet surging electricity demand from data centers.
Applied Atomics on Wednesday said it signed an exclusive licensing agreement with BWX Technologies to use BWXT's mPower small modular reactor for land-based nuclear facilities in the US, Canada and elsewhere. The mPower is an integral pressurized light water reactor designed to generate 195 megawatts of electricity and 575 MWth of heat per unit, with all primary components housed in a single vessel to eliminate the loss-of-coolant accident risk found in conventional plants.
"Our job is to complete its development then design and deploy the first optimized, vertically integrated SMR power plant," said Benjamin Kellie, chief executive officer of Applied Atomics.
BWXT spent a decade designing the mPower before suspending the program in 2017, preserving the engineering archive and test facilities. Under the deal, BWXT retains ownership of the intellectual property and exclusive manufacturing rights for all mPower components, plus royalty rights for any components made by Applied Atomics or third parties. The reactor uses standard low enriched uranium fuel and is designed for a refueling cycle of at least two years.
The agreement comes as US electricity demand is projected to grow at its fastest rate in a generation, with data center construction alone requiring more than 300 gigawatts of new power capacity by 2035, according to industry estimates. Applied Atomics identified industrial and technology sector power supply as the primary initial market, citing the modular design and site flexibility as suited to behind-the-meter and campus-scale configurations. The company will re-engage the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to resume mPower design certification and develop site-specific engineering for initial deployments.
Competitive landscape
Applied Atomics enters a field with several competing SMR designs. NuScale Power's VOYGR reactor, the first SMR to receive NRC design approval, is rated at 77 MWe per module. GE Hitachi's BWRX-300 targets 300 MWe, while TerraPower's Natrium — backed by Bill Gates — pairs a 345-MWe sodium-cooled reactor with molten salt storage. X-energy's Xe-100 is a 200-MWth high-temperature gas-cooled design. None of these designs have reached commercial operation in the US, a gap between regulatory approval and actual deployment that mPower must also navigate.
BWXT evaluated potential partners against criteria including capital commitment, deployment intent, nuclear safety culture alignment and the founder's record commercializing other technologies before selecting Applied Atomics. Financial terms of the licensing agreement were not disclosed.
For BWXT, the deal creates a new revenue stream through component manufacturing and royalties without the development risk of bringing mPower to market directly. Applied Atomics, headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, with a design studio in Los Angeles, is a nuclear energy company focused on commercial deployment of proven SMR technology. The company did not disclose its funding structure or a target date for first power generation.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
