Construction on new R-50 factory to begin in early 2026, with production scaling up to 50 reactors per year
OAK RIDGE, TN / ACCESS Newswire / October 13, 2025 / Radiant, the company pioneering the world's first mass-produced nuclear generator, announced today with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter, and U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, that it will build its first factory on a Manhattan Project site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee that helped launch the nuclear age over 80 years ago.
Radiant sign up at Nuclear generator factory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
The land for Radiant's new factory, which encompasses portions of the historic K-27 and K-29 Manhattan Project sites, has been purchased from the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board. With construction beginning in early 2026, this agreement keeps Radiant on track to deliver its first mass-produced Kaleidos nuclear generator by 2028, and, within a few years, scale up production to 50 reactors per year. In recognition of this ambitious mission, and to honor the site's heritage, Radiant plans to name their new factory R-50.
"What was formerly the first Manhattan Project site will now be the site of the first portable nuclear generator production," said Doug Bernauer, CEO and Founder of Radiant. "By 2028, we'll be rolling out the first factory-built nuclear generator, and within a few years we'll be producing over a dozen per year."
"We chose Oak Ridge, Tennessee, because of their strong workforce, the community's rich nuclear heritage and the public's second-to-none nuclear IQ," said Tori Shivanandan, Chief Operating Officer of Radiant. "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 nuclear generators. We're excited to start building in just a few months."
The decision to build at Oak Ridge highlights the site's unique role in America's energy history. Originally constructed as part of the Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge was home to some of the first nuclear facilities in the world. Now it will be used to build nuclear generators that can support a wide range of applications from military energy resilience to powering data centers and remote communities.
For more information on Radiant and the Kaleidos nuclear generator, visit www.radiantnuclear.com.
About Radiant
Radiant is building the world's first mass-produced nuclear generators that can go anywhere they're needed, whenever they're needed, and without constant refueling. The company's first generator, Kaleidos, is a 1 MW failsafe nuclear microreactor. Founded in 2020, Radiant plans to test its first reactor in 2026, with initial customer deployments beginning in 2028. Radiant's mission is to mass produce the most economical and reliable portable reactors in the world.
Contact
For media inquiries, contact Ray Wert at press@radiantnuclear.com.
SOURCE: Radiant Industries, Incorporated
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/clean-technology/radiant-to-build-first-portable-nuclear-generator-factory-on-tennessee-manhattan-p-1086390
