Last Energy’s 5 MW nuclear reactor to be built at Texas university

Last Energy is set to deploy a 5 megawatt (MW) pilot microreactor, the PWR-5, at Texas A&M University’s RELLIS campus as part of a collaborative project with the Texas A&M University System. This initiative marks Last Energy’s first reactor deployment in the U.S. and is fully financed through private capital, with testing expected to begin in summer 2024. The PWR-5 is a scaled-down version of Last Energy’s larger PWR-20 design and will initially demonstrate safe, low-power criticality before progressing to electricity generation for the grid. The project benefits from fast-tracked licensing under the U.S. Department of Energy’s New Reactor Pilot Program, reflecting federal efforts to accelerate nuclear innovation. The PWR-5 reactor is a modular, pressurized water reactor (PWR) with a small footprint of 0.3 acres, enabling near-universal siting and proximity to energy demand centers. Its design leverages industry-standard