Applied Atomics brings revived mPower nuclear design to New Orleans
Applied Atomics is establishing its headquarters and technical center in New Orleans, Louisiana, investing $8.2 million to revive a small modular nuclear reactor design. The company aims to meet the surging electricity demand from data centers, with Meta already soliciting proposals for nuclear generation in the state. The New Orleans facility will focus on engineering and training, not reactor operation.
A nuclear startup, Applied Atomics, is establishing its headquarters and a technical center in New Orleans, Louisiana, with an $8.2 million investment projected to create 41 jobs. The company plans to commercialize the mPower small modular reactor design, originally developed by Babcock & Wilcox and previously abandoned in 2017.
Applied Atomics' strategy is to leverage the rapidly growing electricity demand from data centers, with CEO Ben Kellie noting the opportunity for low-carbon power. The mPower design can produce 195 megawatts per module, suitable for the large-scale power needs of major data center campuses. The New Orleans facility will house engineering, component assembly, and a training center, including an outdoor "Plexiplant" for simulations.
This move aligns with Louisiana's Nuclear Strategic Framework, which identifies data centers as key anchor buyers for new nuclear projects. Notably, Meta, which is developing a significant data center campus in Richland Parish, has already sought proposals for 1 to 4 gigawatts of new nuclear generation by the early 2030s, underscoring the market potential Applied Atomics is targeting.