Antares Activates Mark-0 Microreactor Before July 4 Deadline as U.S. Fuel Chain Lags
Updated
Updated · Fortune · Jun 13
Antares Activates Mark-0 Microreactor Before July 4 Deadline as U.S. Fuel Chain Lags
3 articles · Updated · Fortune · Jun 13
Summary
Antares switched on its Mark-0 microreactor in June, becoming the first company to hit a Trump administration pilot-program milestone for next-generation reactors ahead of a July 4 target.
That lead comes as U.S. nuclear expansion for AI-driven power demand runs into a weak fuel base: about 98% of uranium used by U.S. reactors is imported, and Russia-linked supply must be phased out by 2028.
Cameco says roughly 30% of its uranium mining capacity is shut in, while new mines can take 15 to 20 years to open—raising the risk that reactor construction outpaces fuel availability and pushes up uranium and power prices.
Urenco plans to lift New Mexico enrichment capacity nearly 50% by 2036, and the Energy Department has awarded three $900 million enrichment projects, but industry executives say that still falls far short of what a nuclear buildout needs.
The broader push is ambitious: U.S. electricity demand could rise 50% to 80% by 2050, and the White House wants nuclear capacity to quadruple from about 100 gigawatts to 400 gigawatts.