The same federal laboratory that has supported Wyoming’s emerging micro nuclear reactor sector is now inviting more companies to submit proposals, potentially opening doors for further nuclear development in the state.
The Idaho National Laboratory is inviting industry providers to propose tests and experiments that could utilize its Microreactor Application Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) demonstration facility.
The move comes as Wyoming continues to position itself as a hub for small nuclear reactor development, with companies like BWXT and Radiant Nuclear already working with the lab to advance their technologies.
"There's a lot of interest in locating microreactors in Wyoming," Donna Kemp Spangler, a communications specialist with the Idaho National Lab, told Cowboy State Daily.
The INL urges the public to, “Imagine a compact, cutting-edge nuclear reactor that can be rapidly deployed to provide reliable and abundant energy to remote locations, military bases, and disaster-stricken areas. This isn't science fiction.”
For companies considering Wyoming as a location for nuclear projects, INL offers a reality check on what's possible and practical in the nuclear industry.
"We can tell you what the reality is. This is what is going on, what we're seeing," Spangler said.
Already Happening
Radiant, the company that wants to locate its microreactor manufacturing facility and waste storage site north of Bar Nunn, is relying on INL to test its Kaleidos microreactor at INL's DOME facility in 2026.
With a seal of approval from INL, companies like Radiant can move forward with some confidence about applying for operating licenses from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a requirement before officially opening.
Josh Parker, director of business development at BWXT, told Cowboy State Daily that INL remains an essential resource for companies like his.
"INL is kind of this nexus of nuclear technology, everything from the starting idea to let's go test it, and see if it works," Parker said. The lab has been "an amazing place over the U.S. history, in nuclear history," he added, noting that more than 50 reactors have been tested there since nuclear development began in 1946.
BWXT, which received a grant from the Wyoming Energy Authority to explore siting a microreactor in the state's trona patch near Green River, is building its Project Pele microreactor for the Department of Defense.
That reactor will be tested at Idaho National Lab using TRISO fuel — highly engineered fuel particles about the size of a poppy seed that, according to BWXT, provide enhanced safety features.
Parker explained that INL serves as "the only nuclear engineering national lab" focused specifically on nuclear engineering rather than just nuclear science.
The lab operates two test reactors and has established the National Reactor Innovation Campus where reactor vendors can demonstrate their prototypes before commercialization.
"Other reactor vendors are looking to do their demonstration of the reactor. So, the first prototype, and test actually out there before they go and commercialize out in the world," Parker said.
Position To Benefit
Beyond BWXT and Radiant, other Wyoming-connected companies could potentially benefit from INL's expanded outreach what essentially amounts to a small reactor test kitchen.
Parker noted that Wyoming has positioned itself among the forefront of states pursuing reactor development, alongside Idaho and Tennessee.
One example of a Wyoming-connected company that could benefit from INL's testing capabilities is Exodys Energy, which is in a strategic partnership with Snow Lake Resources.
This Canadian group holds uranium investments in Wyoming and is in a strategic partnership with Exodys Energy.
Exodys Energy makes claims on its website that it’s, “Developing a closed-loop nuclear fuel system with demonstrated molten salt technology.”
INL holds itself out as a leading center for molten salt technology research, focusing on advancing nuclear reactor designs that utilize molten salts as both fuel and coolant.
So when a company like Exodys Energy states its technology “unleashes the environmental and economic potential of socially conscious and unabated nuclear energy,” INL offers the company a chance to prove it.
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
