Hadron Energy, Inc., a developer of advanced nuclear microreactors, announced it has submitted a Principal Design Criteria (PDC) whitepaper to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The submission, made on April 21, 2026, represents a formal step in the pre-application phase for licensing the company's Halo microreactor.
The Halo is a transportable, 20-megawatt thermal microreactor designed for decentralized power. The PDC document outlines the fundamental engineering, safety, and security principles that will govern the reactor's design. This submission initiates a technical dialogue with the NRC staff to align on regulatory expectations before a formal license application is filed.
Hadron Energy stated that this milestone is part of its strategy to engage early with regulators to streamline the licensing pathway for advanced nuclear technologies. The company aims to deploy its first Halo units for commercial and defense applications in the early 2030s, pending successful design completion and regulatory approval.
