NANO Nuclear chosen to conduct a research, development, test and evaluation effort aimed at deploying a KRONOS MMR™ Energy System at Washington, D.C. military base.
New York, N.Y., Sept. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) announces it has been selected by AFWERX for a Direct to Phase II (D2P2) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract in the approximate amount of $1.25 million, focused on the KRONOS MMR™ Energy System to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and on August 28, 2025, NANO Nuclear started its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.
The KRONOS MMR™ is a stationary, high-temperature gas-cooled microreactor designed to deliver 15 MWe (45 MWth) of carbon-free power, for multi-decade use across multiple industries and environments. Multiple KRONOS MMRs can be synergistically used to achieve any desired power level. Using meltdown-resistant TRISO fuel and passive helium cooling, the KRONOS MMR™ is being designed to shut down and remain in a safe state automatically without any human intervention or external power (so called “walk-away safety”) while seeking to ensure the ability to disconnect from the main grid and operate autonomously during outages or other disruptions (so called “full island-mode microgrid” capability). The system eliminates dependence on fuel convoys, is being designed to withstand cyber and physical threats, and enable continuous mission-critical operations.
“Winning this D2P2 with AFWERX marks another milestone for NANO Nuclear and a validation of our belief that KRONOS MMR™ Energy System as a leading microreactor program,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear. “The KRONOS MMR™ represents a transformative potential for energy assurance for the Department of the Air Force, combining a design for resilience, safety, and carbon-free generation in one modular microreactor platform. Multiple KRONOS MMR™ units can also be deployed in combination to achieve targeted power levels, providing greater flexibility across a range of mission requirements.”
“The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.”