Blykalla has initiated formal pre-application engagement with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), marking the first step toward licensing its lead-cooled SEALER reactor technology for potential commercial deployment in the United States.
The NRC is the independent federal agency responsible for licensing and regulating commercial nuclear power plants in the United States. Pre-application engagement is a structured process that allows reactor developers and the NRC to discuss reactor technologies and licensing approaches before a formal application is submitted. The objective is to identify and address key regulatory and technical questions early, helping to establish a clearer and more predictable licensing pathway.
By beginning this engagement now, Blykalla can work with the regulator to clarify expectations for the SEALER design, its safety case, and the technical information that will ultimately support a future license application. Over the coming months, Blykalla will introduce key aspects of the reactor design to NRC staff, establish working processes, and begin discussions on the topics expected to shape the formal licensing process.
“The United States is one of the world’s most important future markets for advanced nuclear technologies,” says Jacob Stedman, CEO of Blykalla. “Starting engagement with the NRC at an early stage allows us to better understand regulatory expectations and prepare for future deployment opportunities in the U.S.”
The United States is in the middle of the most significant reset of its nuclear regulatory framework in a generation. The 2024 ADVANCE Act directed the NRC to license advanced reactors faster and more efficiently. Combined with a wave of 2025 federal action has set the country on a path to foster nuclear innovation and quadruple its nuclear capacity to 400 GW by 2050 to support the AI boom, which Blykalla is set to contribute to.
For Blykalla, establishing an early relationship with the NRC is an important step in evaluating future opportunities in the U.S. market and preparing the foundation for a potential licensing process in the years ahead.
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