How Hadron Energy’s ‘Halo’ Microreactor is Designed to Deliver 24/7 Power

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Hadron Energy, Inc. (“Hadron”), an advanced nuclear technology company, today revealed new details about the engineering and safety innovations powering its flagship 10 megawatt-electric(“MWe”) Micro-Modular Reactor (“MMR”), the “Hadron Halo”.

The Hadron Halo is a compact, factory-built light-water reactor that will deliver continuous, carbon-free power for up to 10 years without refueling with a 50-year useful life. Unlike experimental designs that rely on unproven coolants or fuels, the Hadron Halo uses familiar pressurized-water reactor (“PWR”) technology, the same proven foundation that powers every operating commercial reactor in the United States and 95% of all commercial nuclear power plants worldwide (1). By building on this mature platform, Hadron combines many decades of safety data, licensing, operating, and an existing global supply chain with a new, modular architecture engineered for simplicity and speed.

“Most so-called next-generation reactors have never been deployed commercially at scale and are still reinventing the wheel (2),” said Ross Ridenoure, Chief Nuclear Officer of Hadron Energy. “Our approach is different. We took the most commonly used reactor type in the world and reduced its size to a transportable scale. By utilizing already-approved and familiar light-water reactor technology into our design, we believe this will create shorter licensing timelines, lower costs, and faster deployment of reliable clean power.”

Each Hadron Halo unit will produce 10 MWe and occupy less than one acre, a fraction of the land required for wind or solar projects of similar output. The sealed reactor core will operate at lower power density than traditional plants, which will reduce mechanical stress and extend component life. All primary-loop equipment, including the reactor core, pumps, and steam generator, is housed inside a single pressure vessel. This configuration minimizes external piping and will virtually eliminate the possibility of a large-break coolant accident.

The Hadron Halo will be fueled by Low-Enriched Uranium Plus (LEU+), a slightly higher-enriched version of standard commercial nuclear fuel that is already qualified and supported by a robust domestic supply chain. Using LEU+ allows Hadron to achieve a 10-year fuel cycle while relying on a well-established, regulated fuel infrastructure rather than experimental materials or processes.

While some developers are pursuing sodium, gas, or molten-salt-cooled reactors, these approaches introduce significant new engineering and regulatory challenges (3). Liquid sodium reacts violently with air and water, requiring complex containment systems and specialized facilities (3). Gas-cooled and molten-salt designs operate at extremely high temperatures that demand exotic materials and lengthy qualification testing (3). In contrast, light-water reactors like the HadronHalo use ordinary water as both coolant and moderator, a technology the nuclear industry already understands deeply. This choice translates to proven operational safety, a well-established licensing framework, and compatibility with existing manufacturing and fuel supply infrastructure.

Factory production further distinguishes the Hadron Halo from conventional gigawatt-scale reactors that can take a decade to construct (4). Each unit will be assembled and tested in under a year, shipped by truck or rail, and installed with minimal on-site work. This approach allows communities, industrial sites, and data-center campuses to bring nuclear power online in months instead of years.

By combining proven PWR safety with modern modular design, Hadron Energy hopes to redefine how nuclear power can be delivered: scalable, transportable, and ready to meet the growing demand for reliable, zero-carbon electricity in the age of artificial intelligence and industrial electrification.

Hadron’s technology development follows the recently announced $1.2Bn definitive business combination agreement withGigCapital7 Corp. (Nasdaq: GIG), which will make Hadron the first publicly traded light-water microreactor company in the world. This communication strengthens Hadron’s position as a leader in the emerging U.S. nuclear renaissance, helping deliver secure, zero-carbon energy where it is needed most.

See the full press release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251030257352/en/Behind-the-Technology-How-Hadron-Energys-Halo-Microreactor-is-Designed-to-Deliver-247-Power

Sources

(1)  https://www.iaea.org/topics/water-cooled-reactors

(2)  https://www.cato.org/regulation/fall-2025/next-nuclear-renaissance#large-reactors

(3)  https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R45706

(4)  https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-15-652.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

‍