Natura Resources just one step closer to bringing its next-generation nuclear reactor to life
Texas-based Natura Resources is working on advanced nuclear reactors called molten-salt reactors (MSRs), a technology disocvered and developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1960s.
Natura Resources LLC announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded the company rare coolant salt from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE). This critical material will be used to advance the company’s next-generation nuclear reactor.
The allocation of FLiBE, a specialized salt containing highly enriched lithium-7, is more than a technical detail. It’s the key ingredient that will allow Natura’s 1-megawatt molten-salt reactor to achieve criticality in 2026, keeping the project on track to become one of the first Generation IV nuclear reactors deployed in the United States.
“With our reactor facility already complete, this salt allocation ensures we can remain on track to deploy our MSR-1 in 2026 — marking a decisive step in advancing next-generation nuclear to deliver reliable and scalable power for America’s growing energy needs,” said Doug Robison, Founder and CEO of Natura Resources.
While the company is based in Texas, the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment, on which the company is foundationally built on, operated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from 1965 to 1969.
That experiment proved that liquid-fueled reactors were possible.
Natura’s MSR-1 builds on that legacy with modern engineering and safety enhancements, aiming to provide affordable baseload power while also producing medical isotopes and enabling clean water solutions.
Federal Support and Regulatory Progress
Natura’s momentum is backed by DOE and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The company was selected as one of 10 advanced reactor developers under DOE’s Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program.
DOE has also committed to supply High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU) for MSR-1. Meanwhile, NRC issued a construction permit in 2024 for the reactor at Abilene Christian University, and Natura is now pursuing DOE authorization to operate.
Unlike traditional light-water reactors, Natura’s design uses liquid fuel dissolved in molten salt, operating at high temperatures and atmospheric pressure for enhanced safety. The modular approach lowers capital costs and makes the company’s future 100-megawatt commercial reactor competitive with other clean energy sources like natural gas. That reactor, expected by 2029, could also help solve water scarcity issues in oil-producing regions through desalination.
Learn more about Natura Resources.
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