Acceptance by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission initiates formal licensing process for KRONOS MMR™ system deployment at the University of Illinois, and solidifies the KRONOS MMR™ system as the first commercially-ready microreactor to reach this milestone
New York, N.Y., May 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear micro modular reactor and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today announced that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has formally accepted the previously submitted Construction Permit Application (CPA) for the deployment of the Company’s KRONOS MMR™ at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.).
Figure 1 – NANO Nuclear Energy Celebrates KRONOS MMR™ Micro Modular Reactor Event to commemorate the start of real world site-characterization in partnership with and at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.) through The Grainger College. The event also featured remarks from NANO Nuclear’s executive management, senior U of I leadership, representatives from engineering, construction and commercial stakeholders and former U.S. Military Leaders. Credit to Heather Coit/Illinois Grainger Engineering.
The CPA was submitted to the NRC on March 31, 2026 by the U. of I., NANO Nuclear’s partner for the planned full-scale KRONOS MMR™ reactor at the university. Acceptance of the CPA signifies the application contains sufficient information for the NRC to begin its formal safety, environmental, and technical review process. The original submission and the NRC’s formal acceptance represent a major advancement toward construction, licensing and deployment of the KRONOS MMR™ system.
The KRONOS MMR™ system is now among a small group of Generation IV advanced nuclear reactors, and the Company believes, the first commercially-ready microreactor to progress to the CPA stage of the U.S. NRC’s formal licensing process. Based on NANO Nuclear’s current understanding of the anticipated scope and review process, the Company estimates the NRC formal review will be completed in 2027, providing the opportunity for NANO Nuclear to begin nuclear construction activities at the U. of I. in the second half of 2027.
NANO Nuclear believes this milestone further reinforces the KRONOS MMR™’s position among advanced microreactor programs progressing through U.S. regulatory pathways and highlights the Company’s broader strategy of accelerating commercialization through early regulatory engagement, engineering advancement, and partnerships.
Figure 2- Rendering of NANO Nuclear Energy’s KRONOS MMR™ Energy System on the U. of I. Campus.
“Acceptance of the Construction Permit Application for review confirms that the NRC has determined the submission contains the information necessary to begin detailed technical evaluation,” said Florent Heidet, Chief Technical Officer of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Advancing to this stage reflects years of engineering, regulatory engagement, and disciplined execution, as well as the substantial work required to support formal review of an advanced reactor design. Entering the NRC review process is an important progression for the KRONOS MMR™ program and further reinforces our transition from development toward deployment. We believe milestones such as this increasingly distinguish advanced reactor developers progressing toward deployment from those still early in the development pathway. We look forward to working closely with U. of I., our engineering partners, and the NRC throughout the review process.”
“Acceptance of the Construction Permit Application for formal NRC review represents another important milestone for the KRONOS MMR™ program and further demonstrates the progress required to advance next-generation reactor technologies toward deployment,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Since NANO Nuclear’s inception, our strategy has centered on building a platform designed for long-term, scalable deployment of advanced nuclear technologies. We believe entering formal NRC review reinforces the maturity of our approach and marks continued progress toward making microreactor deployments a commercial reality. As we advance through the regulatory process, our teams are increasingly focused on activities supporting future deployment readiness, including advancing supply chain engagement and procurement discussions for key reactor systems and long-lead components, as well as business development. At the same time, our engineering teams remain focused on developing a reduced-scale, non-nuclear KRONOS MMR™ engineering demonstration unit at our newly renovated technical facility in Oak Brook, Illinois, supporting continued design refinement and technology validation.”
“The NRC’s acceptance of our Construction Permit Application marks a significant step forward for the Illinois Microreactor Demonstration Project and for the future of advanced nuclear energy in the United States. At Grainger Engineering, we believe universities play a vital role in accelerating innovation, developing the next generation workforce, and demonstrating technologies that can address critical energy and national needs,” said Caleb Brooks, Professor and Donald Biggar Willett Faculty Scholar of Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering at the U. of I.’s Grainger College of Engineering. “We look forward to continuing our work with NANO Nuclear and our engagement with the NRC throughout the review process as we work to further position U. of I. as a leader in future advanced energy technologies.”
KRONOS MMR™ is NANO Nuclear’s proprietary, stationary high-temperature gas-cooled microreactor under development, designed to provide clean, reliable energy for applications including data centers, industrial facilities, remote communities and mining projects, and military bases, in addition to process heat for various end markets.