NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (“NANO Nuclear”), an emerging micro-Small Modular Reactor (µSMR) and Advanced Nuclear Reactor (ANR) technology company lead by a world class nuclear engineering team developing smaller, cheaper and safer advanced portable nuclear energy solutions utilizing proprietary novel reactor designs, is pleased to announce that former State Department Senior Advisor Mark Nichols has joined the company’s executive advisory board in the role of Executive Advisor for Military, Defense and Policy.

Figure 1 – Mark Nichols, Executive Advisor for Military, Defense and Policy

“As an emerging technology company in the nuclear energy space, it is imperative that we cultivate healthy working relationships with key policy and thought leaders in our industry, notably in Washington D.C.,” said Jay Jiang Yu, NANO Nuclear’s Founder, Executive Chairman and President. “Mark is a strategic renewable energy leader and has spent his career developing relationships and expertise in Washington D.C. and will add tremendous value to our executive advisory board as we seek to further develop our products and bring them to market.”

Mr. Nichols has an extensive background in European affairs, energy, infrastructure, commodities, emerging markets and national security. During the Clinton Administration, Mr. Nichols was Senior Advisor at the State Department in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Europe. He has also served at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and at Wesley K. Clark & Associates, where he represented clients in the energy and defense sectors, including an electric vehicle manufacturer, an interoperability defense communications firm, a biometrics firm, and a cyber security company. Today, he is President of Seven Summits, a strategic advisory firm in Washington D.C. focused on energy, infrastructure and national security.

“It is a pleasure to be involved with an exciting sustainable and clean technology energy venture like NANO Nuclear,” said Mark Nichols, NANO Nuclear Energy’s Executive Advisor for Military, Defense and Policy. “There is an incredible amount of momentum in the industry right now, especially as the ADVANCE Act heads to the full Senate with widespread bipartisan support.  The industry is ripe for innovation and NANO Nuclear’s senior leadership team has impressed me with their dedication, execution of milestones, and future roadmap.  I look forward to working closely with them.”

The United States has accelerated its micro-small modular reactor plans in recent years, a trend NANO Nuclear hopes to capitalize on.

The Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act of 2023 is pending bipartisan legislation that prioritizes the future of American energy security by establishing commonsense policies to help deploy nuclear energy. The legislation would empower the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to develop regulations for advanced nuclear reactors and establish an initiative to enhance preparedness to qualify and license advanced nuclear fuels. It would also seek to establish policies to enable the continued operation of current reactors and give certainty for capital investments in building new reactors, modernize outdated rules that restrict international investment and reduce the cost to license advanced nuclear reactor technologies.

Also, the Department of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office is investigating portable nuclear reactors through Project Pele, while the U.S. Air Force is focused on the use of fixed-site applications of microreactors. Project Pele is a whole-of-government effort, with critical expertise provided by the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Nuclear Security Administration.

In addition, the Air Force Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Infrastructure is working with the Air Force Office of Energy Assurance, the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Environment and Energy Resilience, the Department of Energy, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to facilitate its microreactor pilot.

“The addition of Mark to our executive advisory board instantly strengthens our capabilities and it is a pleasure to welcome him to the NANO Nuclear team,” said James Walker, NANO Nuclear Energy’s CEO and Head of Nuclear Reactor Development. “As U.S. government moves firmly ahead towards encouraging the development of promising new nuclear energy solutions, a strong relationship with policymakers is crucial for our plans to further develop our products, ultimately drive sales and help ensure that NANO Nuclear continues to be a streamlined and efficient player in the marketplace.  Mark’s connections and experience will be vital to us in this regard.”