US firm’s mile-deep underground nuclear reactor gets funding boost -

Deep Fission, a US startup innovating nuclear power by situating reactors a mile underground, has secured $80 million in new funding from major alternative asset managers, reflecting growing private sector interest in advanced nuclear technology. The company also formed a strategic partnership with Blue Owl Capital’s Real Assets platform to deploy its Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for powering AI-driven data centers, aiming to deliver continuous clean energy to US electricity grids. Deep Fission’s core technology is a 15-megawatt pressurized water reactor installed at the bottom of a deep borehole, leveraging natural geological pressure and rock formations for safety and cost reduction. By using Earth’s natural pressure at one mile depth, Deep Fission eliminates the need for expensive surface pressure vessels, while the surrounding rock provides passive containment against disasters and threats. This design is estimated to reduce construction costs by up to 80% compared to traditional nuclear plants. The modular reactors can be scaled by co-locating multiple units to serve large industrial