Officials break ground for new nuclear reactor at INL
Noah Farley
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Ground was broken at Idaho National Laboratory for a new experimental nuclear reactor Thursday, August 28.
INL is working with Aalo Atomics, a company that mass-manufactures nuclear plants. Representatives from both companies broke ground together for Aalo-X, “the nuclear industry’s first experimental extra modular nuclear reactor (XMR).”
“We’re getting back into a new nuclear age,” said INL Director, John Wagner. “Multiple companies like Aalo, their first groundbreaking, are paving the way toward to this new nuclear age where we will see a lot of growth in clean nuclear power for the nation. And this is particularly important in terms of the energy demand growth that we’re experiencing as a nation and across the world.”
Aalo Atomics was recently chosen by the U.S. Department of Energy to participate in President Trump’s Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program.
The new nuclear reactor is planned to start operating by July 4, 2026.