Lockheed Martin invests in Radiant to accelerate mass-production of portable nuclear reactors
Radiant Nuclear is investing 280 million dollars to build the world’s first mass‑produced portable nuclear generator factory in the Oak Ridge Corridor.
In October 2025, Radiant announced a strategic $280 million investment to bring manufacturing operations to Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Its new factory is being built on the historic K-27 and K-29 Manhattan Project sites. Radiant leadership is calling the facility R-50 in honor of the historic appeal.
Radiant was the sixth company to open operations in Tennessee under the state’s $70 million Nuclear Fund. In fact, the initiative has been so impactful in the past couple of years that Governor Bill Lee announced the addition of $25 million more to the fund, bringing the total pool to just under $100 million.
Lockheed Martin’s interest in nuclear
On Tuesday, Lockheed Martin, the innovative defense giant, announced a strategic investment in Radiant through its venture arm, Lockheed Martin Ventures. According to a company press-release, this investment has pushed Radiant into an oversubscribed round.
“Adding Lockheed Martin as a strategic investor adds a partner who deeply understands the operational environments where reliable, portable power is essential,” said Tori Shivanandan, Chief Operating Officer of Radiant. “Gaining the confidence of a company with the breadth and depth of experience of Lockheed Martin is another proof point of our leadership in this space.”
The use-case for portable nuclear generators is especially seen in remote communities, where power and energy sources are in short supply. Portable nuclear generators also propose solutions to existing issues with critical infrastructure and defense applications.
“Advances in portable nuclear power could help make our warfighters more resilient and the battlefield more survivable, and we’re proud to support growth in these innovations for defense and energy security,” said Chris Moran, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures.
Radiant expects to have its first reactor up and running this summer at the Idaho National Laboratory’s DOME facility.
Construction on the “K-50” site in Oak Ridge is set to begin early this year.
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