Nuclear Microreactors Are Coming to Industrial Sites — Here's Who's Building Them

By Priya Iyer

The idea of a nuclear reactor powering a factory or mine site sounds like science fiction. But four companies are now developing microreactors — units producing 1 to 20 megawatts of electricity — specifically designed for industrial applications. The first commercial deployments are expected between 2027 and 2029.

Unlike traditional nuclear plants that take a decade to build and cost billions, microreactors are designed to be factory-manufactured, truck-transportable, and operational within months of site delivery. They produce zero carbon emissions and run for 10-20 years without refueling.

The Contenders

BWXT Advanced Technologies, backed by decades of experience building naval reactors, is developing the BWXT Advanced Nuclear Reactor (BANR) for the U.S. Department of Defense. The 5-megawatt unit is designed to power remote military installations, but BWXT has signaled plans to commercialize the technology for mining, data centers, and remote industrial operations.

Oklo, which went public via SPAC in 2024, is furthest along in the NRC licensing process for a commercial microreactor. Its Aurora powerhouse produces 15 megawatts using metallic fuel and can load-follow — adjusting output to match demand — which makes it suitable for industrial operations with variable power needs.

Westinghouse eVinci uses heat pipe technology to passively cool the reactor, eliminating the pumps and active cooling systems that add complexity and cost to traditional designs. The 5-megawatt unit targets remote mining operations in Canada and Australia where diesel generation currently costs $0.30-0.50 per kWh.

X-energy's Xe-Mobile is a transportable version of its larger Xe-100 reactor, producing 5 megawatts in a containerized format. The company has a partnership with Dow Chemical to deploy a full-size reactor at an industrial facility in Texas, providing both electricity and process heat.

The Industrial Use Case

For remote mining operations, the economics are compelling. A microreactor producing electricity at $0.06-0.10 per kWh would undercut diesel by 70-80%. For energy-intensive manufacturing — aluminum smelting, cement production, steel processing — the combination of electricity and industrial process heat from a single source eliminates the need for separate boiler systems.

Data centers represent the largest near-term market. Both Oklo and X-energy have signed letters of intent with data center operators seeking carbon-free baseload power. The relevance to manufacturing is indirect but significant: as data centers absorb growing shares of grid capacity, industrial users face higher electricity prices and reduced reliability. On-site microreactors would insulate manufacturers from grid constraints.

The Regulatory Path

NRC licensing remains the biggest hurdle. The commission was designed to review large, one-of-a-kind reactor designs, not factory-produced units. New review frameworks are being developed but are not yet finalized. Companies operating in Canada and the UK may reach commercial deployment first due to more adaptive regulatory approaches.

For manufacturers watching this space, the timeline is 2027-2029 for first commercial units and 2030-2035 for widespread availability. The technology is real. The engineering works. The question is whether regulatory processes can keep pace with the demand.