The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Foundation and Tennessee-based MicroNuclear have agreed to collaborate on advancing MicroNuclear’s Molten Salt Nuclear Battery (MsNB), a compact molten salt microreactor concept designed to provide resilient power and process heat.
MicroNuclear is developing the cyber-protected MsNB, a compact, natural-circulation molten salt microreactor designed to support critical infrastructure, military and government facilities, remote or isolated grids, industrial process heat, and potential hydrogen production. The MsNB is envisioned as a safe, secure, sustainable, emissions-free, 20 MWt unit intended to operate at full power for an anticipated 10-year battery interval before returning to a centralized facility for fuel and salt recovery and recycling.
The design builds upon the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) conducted at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1960s. The company used this historical data to simplify and compress its development and licensing cycles. The core design philosophy treats the reactor like a commercial battery. It is completely manufactured in a factory, transported to the site via truck, rail, or air, operated continuously for 10 years, and then returned intact to a centralised facility for recycling and refuelling. The architecture eliminates mechanical pumps, relying on natural circulation and thermal physics to move the molten fuel salt, reducing moving parts and avoiding standard failure pathways.
The collaboration with INL Foundation will support the next phase of MsNB development, including detailed engineering, safety and licensing activities, prototype manufacturing, first-fission testing and development of a repeatable model for future deployment and commercialisation. The agreement brings together complementary expertise across engineering, reactor technology, manufacturing, quality assurance, training, operations, and commercialisation capabilities to support the next stage of MsNB development.
As well as INL Foundation and MicroNuclear, the consortium includes engineering firm EXP, nuclear manufacturer Premier Technology, and engineering company Porter House, a minority woman-owned small disadvantaged business providing technical and engineering services for nuclear and non-nuclear operations, industrial safety, and professional development training.
While EXP handles the integrated engineering and Premier Technology focuses on advanced manufacturing and nuclear quality assurance, Porter House brings the operational and deployment insight required to transition the microreactor from a laboratory concept into a commercial reality for industrial sites, remote communities, and military grids.
The INL Foundation will support early fundraising, help facilitate access to Idaho National Laboratory, and make information about the MsNB available through its investor events. Early contributions supporting MsNB testing may be eligible for tax-deductible treatment, subject to applicable requirements. Testing is expected to be carried out at INL or other Department of Energy national laboratories through separate agreements
“We are well positioned to move the Molten Salt Nuclear Battery from a promising technology to a disciplined path toward engineering, testing, licensing, and eventual development,” CEO of MicroNuclear Paul Marotta said. “We’ve assembled an experienced team to deliver capabilities needed to advance the MsNB and help us achieve our goal of resilient, emissions-free power, and process heat where reliable energy is needed most.”
MicroNuclear, headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, is a privately held nuclear technology company founded in 2017, specialising in market-relevant, emissions-free, and highly protected microreactor solutions tailored for severe-environment applications.
MsNB concept was co-conceived and developed by a trio spanning industry, academia, and national laboratory research. Dr Paul Marotta (Co-Founder & CEO) is the concept initiator and primary business lead. Dr Richard Christensen (CTO) is a nuclear engineering expert and professor at the University of Idaho who oversees fluid dynamics and thermal design. Dr Piyush Sabharwall (Co-Inventor) is a senior research scientist at INL who collaborates on advanced nuclear systems and component technology.
In 2023, MicroNuclear secured critical patents for high-temperature molten salt valve technologies, which utilise localised freezing rather than metal-to-metal seals to manage aggressive molten salt flows. Also ibn 2023, the company selected Premier Technology, Inc. out of Blackfoot, Idaho, to serve as its primary nuclear-grade fabrication partner.
