Valor Atomics representatives describe HTGR design and say site reached criticality; full‑power run planned

Representatives from Valor Atomics outlined a high‑temperature gas‑cooled reactor (HTGR) design that uses helium as the coolant and TRISO‑coated fuel kernels embedded in graphite blocks. The company said the design’s multiple ceramic and silicon‑carbide layers around each uranium kernel provide inherent accident tolerance and that the reactor’s control system uses boron control rods and electronic motors for fine movement.

"Our reactor's kinda boring. It doesn't really do much. He they call it, like, the Toyota Camry with the reactors, and it's gonna be your reliable, efficient, long standing, safe vehicle," said a Valor representative, using the example to emphasize reliability. Valor speakers also announced the reactor achieved criticality at the site and stated a plan to reach full power prior to July 4; engineers on stage described procedural safeguards and passive systems designed to stop operations automatically if mechanical systems fail. They said helium is circulated in a closed loop, that TRISO fuel compacts are highly temperature‑tolerant, and that low‑level waste is collected and transported to licensed disposal facilities such as the Clyde, Utah site or to research labs under federal regulation.

Company representatives described the recent milestone as the result of incremental testing and emphasized engineered failsafes: if motors controlling boron rods failed, the rods would fall back in and stop the chain reaction, the speakers said, adding with a dry aside that "the only thing that would have to fail in order for our reactor to actually fail is gravity."