Framingham-based energy infrastructure firm Ameresco has signed a memorandum of understanding with a nuclear energy company to explore the use of small nuclear reactors at federal and commercial properties.
The MOU with New York-based NANO Nuclear Energy will allow for the two companies to work together to explore the implementation of nuclear micro modular reactors, according to a joint press release issued Monday.
NANO is working to develop the KRONOS MMR, a nuclear reactor able to be transported by road and assembled on site. A single unit can produce 15 megawatts of electricity, according to NANO Nuclear’s website.
The company says the reactor is engineered to remain safe under all foreseeable scenarios without needing operation invention or active safety systems. NANO Nuclear’s micro modular reactor is undergoing the licensing process with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and is the first modular reactor to enter the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s formal licensing process.
“Our collaboration with NANO Nuclear underscores our commitment to advancing and diversifying our clean energy portfolio,” Nicole Bulgarino, president of federal solutions and utility infrastructure at Ameresco, said in the Monday press release. “By evaluating the integration and deployment of their next-generation modular microreactors, we are strengthening our ability to deliver reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable energy solutions that meet the evolving needs of our federal customers, as well as the data center and industrial markets.”
Ameresco and NANO will explore potential pathways for siting, developing, and constructing NANO’s modular reactors. The companies will coordinate on obtaining government funding and other incentives and explore implementing NANO Nuclear’s technology at existing Ameresco projects, which includes microgrid and battery energy storage systems.
In addition to KRONOS MMR, NANO Nuclear is working on ZEUS, a microreactor with a completely-sealed core allowing for safer operation in remote locations, and LOKI, a smaller reactor than KRONOS, which could be used in space or marine applications.
Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the real estate and banking & finance industries.
