World’s first mass-produced nuclear generator factory is coming to Oak Ridge
Radiant is the sixth company to locate in Tennessee utilizing the Nuclear Energy Fund, most of which have been in Oak Ridge.
In a seemingly endless news stream of economic development in the Oak Ridge/ Roane County Corridor, the state of Tennessee has announced a sixth company to locate in Tennessee, thanks to the Nuclear Energy Fund. This company, Radiant, is particularly fascinating because it is pioneering the world’s first mass-produced nuclear generator.
Radiant officials, alongside Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter, and U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, announced on Monday that they have strategically selected Oak Ridge for a $280 million investment that will expand the company’s nuclear manufacturing and research and development (R&D).
According to a press release from Radiant, a portion of the land allotted for the new factory is on the historic K-27 and K-29 Manhattan Project sites. It was purchased from the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board. Construction for the plant is projected to begin in early 2026.
“We choose Oak Ridge because of its strong workforce, the community’s rich nuclear heritage, and the public’s second-to-none nuclear IQ. Just as importantly, the state’s business-friendly environment gave us the immediate regulatory certainty we needed to move fast and be up and running to meet growing customer demand for our Kaleidos nuclear generators. We’re excited to start building in just a few months,” said Radiant’s Chief Operating Officer, Tori Shivanandan.
According to TNECD, Radiant will create 175 new jobs in Roane County that will directly support the development and mass production of Radiant’s “Kaleidos.“
Upon completion of the facility, this machine will be the world’s first one-megawatt portable nuclear generator capable of generating power in remote areas and providing resilient power options for military bases or disaster-relief scenarios. Radiant has a goal to produce the first iteration of Kaleidos by 2028 and, within a few years, scale up to produce 50 reactors per year.
In recognition of the mission and to honor the historic site, Radiant officials said they are naming the new factory “R-50.”
Roane County Executive Wade Creswell, who has also been a longtime advocate for the Oak Ridge Corridor, including serving as a founding member of the Oak Ridge Corridor Development Corporation (which Teknovation featured earlier this year), said the location of Radiant is another major win for the region.
“I’m excited to welcome Radiant to Roane County – the most nuclear-friendly community in the country. Their mission and purpose align perfectly with our community’s history, acceptance, and experienced workforce in nuclear energy. Radiant will serve as a key player within the nuclear ecosystem being developed within the Oak Ridge Corridor,” he said.
In March, Creswell told us that the goal for the Oak Ridge/ Roane County community was to align on a mission. Given that this is the second nuclear company to choose Oak Ridge in the past month, it seems that the plan is panning out very well.
Radiant’s $280 million investment and creation of 175 high-quality new jobs are a critical win for our state’s growing nuclear ecosystem. This investment marks the second nuclear project we’ve announced in September alone, reinforcing the state’s position at the forefront of next-generation energy innovation,” said TNECD Commissioner McWhorter.
Radiant is the sixth company to locate in Tennessee through the state’s Nuclear Energy Fund, a strategic initiative designed to attract nuclear-related businesses and strengthen university-led nuclear education programs. Originally proposed in Gov. Lee’s 2023–2024 budget, the fund received $50 million, with an additional $40 million approved across the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions, bringing the fund’s total to $70 million.
The five other companies supported by the fund include: Type One Energy Group, Orano USA, BWXT Enrichment Operations, OKLO, and Master Machine LLC.
Watch a demo of how Radiant’s Kaleidos will work.
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