Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that Aalo Atomics' Aalo-X test reactor successfully completed a zero-power fueled criticality demonstration at Idaho National Laboratory as part of the DOE Reactor Pilot Program. This marks the fourth DOE-authorized advanced reactor to reach this milestone, surpassing the initial target set in President Trump's May 2025 executive order, which called for three reactors to achieve criticality by July 4.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright highlighted the achievement, noting the company's determination to meet the goal and the program's success in exceeding expectations with four reactors achieving criticality. Aalo-X joins previous reactors including Antares Nuclear's Mark-0, Valar Atomics' Ward 250, and Deployable Energy's Unity, which reached criticality in June.
Yasir Arafat, President and CTO of Aalo Atomics, emphasized the rapid development of their reactor, progressing from groundbreaking to a sustained chain reaction in just eight months—one of the fastest builds in recent U.S. history. He noted the primary challenge was construction, not physics, and credited regulatory reform through the Reactor Pilot Program for enabling renewed American nuclear innovation.
The Reactor Pilot Program aims to provide an expedited authorization pathway to certify and build first-of-a-kind advanced reactor designs for demonstration purposes. This initiative aligns with efforts to rejuvenate the nuclear energy industry and supports objectives outlined in President Trump's Energy Dominance agenda.