A Small Nuclear Reactor Just Reached a Big Milestone
Good News About Energy
Hi friends,
While easy and dependable nuclear energy is on the horizon, the below is credible information that it may be nearer than we expected.
President Trump’s Executive Order 14301, Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy, May 23, 2025 helped move this forward. (He had already issued Executive Order 14156, Declaring a National Energy Emergency, on Inauguration Day.)
America’s energy future may have taken another important step forward this week.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced that Valar Atomics’ “Ward 250” advanced reactor successfully completed what is called a “zero-power fueled criticality demonstration.” That sounds complicated, and maybe even a little alarming, but in plain English it means this: the reactor’s nuclear core successfully “started” in a controlled way.
The reactor is not yet producing electricity for homes, businesses, factories, data centers, or military bases. But it is still a very important milestone.
To understand why, it helps to know a little background.
For decades, nuclear power has been one of America’s most reliable sources of electricity. Traditional nuclear plants are large, expensive, heavily regulated, and take many years to build. They also provide steady power around the clock, unlike wind and solar, which depend on weather and time of day.
Now, due to energy support by the Trump administration, a new generation of companies is working on much smaller nuclear reactors. These are often called microreactors or advanced reactors. Microreactors are simple and compact reactors capable of producing thermal energy used directly as heat or converted to electric power. The goal is to build reactors that are smaller, safer, faster to deploy, and useful in places where reliable power is hard to provide.
That could include military bases, remote communities, disaster relief areas, mining sites, industrial facilities, space missions, and eventually high-demand users like data centers. As artificial intelligence, manufacturing, and advanced technology grow, America will need much more dependable electricity. Nuclear power is one of the few options that can provide large amounts of steady power without depending on the weather.
That is why this recent announcement matters.
The Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program was created to speed up the testing of advanced reactor designs. The goal was to reach criticality for at least three advanced reactor concepts outside of national laboratories by July 4, 2026, America’s 250th birthday.
Valar Atomics’ Ward 250 is now the second reactor in that program to reach this point. Antares Nuclear’s Mark-0 reactor reached criticality earlier in June.
So what does “criticality” mean? In nuclear engineering, “criticality” does not mean ‘critical’. A reactor achieves criticality when the nuclear chain reaction is able to continue on its own in a steady, controlled way.
Think of it like starting an engine. When your car engine turns over and begins running on its own, that is a key step. It does not mean you are driving down the highway yet. It means the engine started and is operating as designed.
That is similar to what happened here. The reactor reached the point where its nuclear reaction could sustain itself, safely and as expected, under controlled conditions.
The “zero-power” part is also important. It means the reactor reached criticality at a very low level. It was not producing meaningful power for the grid. It was more like an engine idling, not a truck pulling a heavy load.
This kind of test allows engineers to confirm that the reactor behaves the way they expected. It helps prove the basic physics of the design. It also gives them information they will need before moving toward power production.
That is why this progress is worth celebrating.
Microreactors are not ready to solve America’s energy problems next week. They still have to go through more testing, safety reviews, fuel supply questions, siting decisions, cost evaluations, and real-world operating experience.
At the same time, we should not miss the significance of what is happening.
For years, America has talked about advanced nuclear power as something promising but always far off in the future. Now we are seeing young American companies build and test real reactors under federal authorization. That is progress.
It is especially encouraging at a time when America faces rising electricity demand from artificial intelligence, data centers, manufacturing, defense needs, and population growth. Reliable energy is not optional. It is the foundation of a strong economy, national security, and modern life.
Communities will need honest information. Citizen concerns should be respected. Safety must remain a top priority. Costs must be evaluated. Regulators should protect the public without smothering innovation.
But this milestone is still good news.
America needs more energy. We need reliable power, not wishful thinking. We need innovation that strengthens the country, supports industry, protects national security, and gives communities real options.
Valar Atomics’ Ward 250 reaching zero-power criticality does not finish the race. But it shows the race is moving.
As of June 20, 2026, two reactors have reached this milestone under the program; DOE still anticipates additional advanced reactors may go critical by the July 4 goal.
That is excellent progress, and it gives us good reason for hopeful expectations about America’s next generation of nuclear energy.
Sources:
U.S. Department of Energy — “Department of Energy Celebrates Second Advanced Reactor Achieving Criticality”
June 18, 2026
https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-celebrates-second-advanced-reactor-achieving-criticalityU.S. Department of Energy — “U.S. Department of Energy Reactor Pilot Program”
https://www.energy.gov/ne/us-department-energy-reactor-pilot-programWhite House — “Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy”
May 23, 2025
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/05/reforming-nuclear-reactor-testing-at-the-department-of-energy/U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission — “Criticality” glossary definition
Page last reviewed/updated February 15, 2023
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/criticalityIdaho National Laboratory — “What does ‘reactor criticality’ mean?”
https://inl.gov/nuclear-energy/reactor-criticality/U.S. Department of Energy — “Department of Energy Celebrates First Advanced Reactor Criticality”
June 2026
https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-celebrates-first-advanced-reactor-criticalityReuters — “Trump’s lightning reactor build program ignites nuclear sector”
July 31, 2025
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/trumps-lightning-reactor-build-program-ignites-nuclear-sector-2025-07-31/
As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.
White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)
United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.
VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html
Disclaimer:
As always, do your own research and make up your own mind. This Substack is provided for informational and commentary purposes only. All claims or statements are based on publicly available sources and are presented as analysis and opinion, not legal conclusions.
No assertion is made of unlawful conduct by any individual, company, or government entity unless such claims are supported by formal public records or verified legal documents. The views expressed here reflect my personal perspective on property rights and land use issues.
While I strive for accuracy and transparency, readers are encouraged to verify all details using the official sources and references provided. Any references to third-party material are included solely for your consideration and do not necessarily reflect my views or imply endorsement.
If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.
Until next time…
Please share your thoughts in the comments. Or email me, and let’s have a problem-solving conversation. I welcome ‘letters to the editor’ type emails and may publish yours. I hope we can create a caucus with positive, back-to-the-founders’-dream-for-America results. Have a topic you want to know more about?
Some housekeeping…
Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.
You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.
Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!