Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 19, Radiant Industries Inc., a California-based nuclear startup, announced plans on Monday to build a factory for its small nuclear reactors at a historic site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, previously used in the Manhattan Project. The company expects to break ground early next year, aiming for production of its first reactors by 2028.

Valve Pit in Manhattan Project Reactor B, Hanford, Washington.

Doug Bernauer, Radiant’s founder and CEO, said: “What was formerly the first Manhattan Project site will now be the site of the first portable nuclear generator production. By 2028, we’ll be rolling out the first factory-built nuclear generator, and within a few years we’ll be producing over a dozen per year.”

The Oak Ridge facility will be the first in the United States designed to mass-produce small nuclear reactors. Radiant is developing its 1-megawatt Kaleidos system, a compact nuclear generator intended for modular factory assembly. The company noted that regulatory approval is still required before construction and production can begin.

Radiant is part of a growing wave of companies pursuing advanced nuclear designs that can be produced in factories. This approach aims to make nuclear technology faster to deploy and more cost-effective compared with traditional on-site construction of large reactors.

The Oak Ridge site carries historical significance, as it was originally used in the 1940s for uranium enrichment, a key component of the Manhattan Project. Radiant’s plan represents a shift from historical military applications to commercial energy production.

The company expects that its factory-based production model will allow for consistent quality control and streamlined manufacturing processes. Bernauer highlighted that the factory will produce over a dozen portable nuclear generators annually once operations scale up.

Radiant’s approach is aligned with broader industry trends seeking to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) that can be deployed more flexibly than traditional nuclear plants. While the technology remains unproven at scale in the U.S., proponents argue it could provide reliable, low-carbon energy for industrial, commercial, and remote applications.

The Oak Ridge project is expected to demonstrate the viability of mass-producing SMRs domestically, potentially establishing a model for future nuclear manufacturing sites in the United States. By leveraging factory assembly, Radiant aims to reduce construction timelines and costs while ensuring safety and operational consistency.

Overall, Radiant Industries’ initiative marks a notable development in the advanced nuclear sector, combining historical significance with modern innovation to support the growing interest in small-scale, modular nuclear energy solutions. The project also underscores ongoing efforts to expand the U.S. nuclear supply chain and infrastructure while introducing new manufacturing methods for next-generation reactors.