Bluecore Energy, a floating nuclear power startup based in Long Beach, California, has purchased its first shipment of low-enriched uranium. This shipment includes a blend of 4.95% U-235, which is suitable for commercial nuclear facilities. This move is aimed at strengthening the United States' nuclear programs and renewing interest in nuclear energy along the coasts of the country.
Background of Floating Nuclear Energy
The history of floating nuclear energy dates back to the 1960s when the military ship USS Sturgis was converted into a floating power plant. Over time, the concept of floating nuclear power plants has gained renewed attention, especially with the construction of the nuclear barge Akademic Lomonosov by Rosatom in the 2010s. In recent years, this idea has been revived in the United States with strong support from the U.S. Maritime Administration.
Read more: Iran's Participation in the Innoprom 2026 Exhibition in Belarus and Mining Technology Challenges
Bluecore Energy is striving to leverage traditional nuclear technologies. The company's BC-15 reactor is a conventional pressurized water reactor that uses a standard commercial fuel assembly. The main focus of this startup is on the marine aspects of this technology and overseeing the installation of the reactor on a barge and its operation in port.
Details of the Uranium Purchase and Its Implications
This shipment of uranium is stored in the form of uranium hexafluoride gas (UF6) at a processing stage before being converted to uranium dioxide (UO2) for use in fuel pellets. The supplier of this shipment is the Dutch company WMC, which has the largest commercial nuclear fuel facility in the United States. Access to this facility allows Bluecore Energy to proceed with the next stages of its project with greater precision and seriousness.
Megan Moette, the licensing and safety manager at Bluecore Energy, has stated that the company's goal is not just to move quickly but to safely and swiftly provide carbon-free energy. This purchase was made shortly after announcing a successful $50 million funding round.
By choosing a traditional reactor design, Bluecore Energy avoids the risks of nuclear proliferation associated with high-enriched uranium. High concentrations of U-235 used in advanced reactor designs have raised concerns about the dual-use nature of uranium in this enrichment range. While the 93% U-235 concentrations used in U.S. naval reactor designs are equivalent to the fuel used in nuclear weapons production, concentrations in the range of five percent, as used by Bluecore Energy, are not considered a proliferation risk.
Read more: Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between China Merchants Energy and RINA for Marine Collaborations · Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between ABS and the U.S. Department of Energy for Marine Nuclear Technology
