A deal might lead to the construction of a prototype microreactor at Berkeley.

Chiltern Vital Group has entered into a letter of intent with Cambridge Atomworks to explore the possibility of constructing a prototype Odin microreactor at the Berkeley Green Science and Technology Park in Gloucestershire, England.

In September of the previous year, a planning application was filed for a new facility focused on nuclear energy at a brownfield site that was formerly part of the Berkeley nuclear power plant in south-west England. The outline planning application was submitted by planning and development consultancy Turley on behalf of Chiltern Vital Berkeley (CVB), which is a division of Chiltern Vital Group (CVG). This proposal aims to include research and development facilities centered on nuclear and clean energy.

The proposed site is situated on previously developed land that was part of the wider Berkeley nuclear power station and is presently occupied by the Gloucestershire Science and Technology Park, which CVB acquired in 2024. The site has a history linked to nuclear energy, employment, and education. If the plans receive approval, the development is expected to provide up to 600,000 square feet (5.6 hectares) of new facilities for research and development, laboratories, offices, manufacturing, and education, potentially creating up to 1,000 jobs.

CVB has indicated that it is engaged in final-stage discussions with several nuclear and energy technology companies interested in establishing a presence at the Berkeley Green site.

Cambridge Atomworks has announced that it has officially signed a letter of intent with CVG to construct its prototype Odin microreactor at this location.

The Odin microreactor is characterized as "a low-pressure, molten-salt-cooled, solid-fuel fission reactor equipped with power conversion and heat rejection systems, enabling a compact, standalone electricity supply independent of external connections." Cambridge Atomworks aims to have a functional prototype by 2030.

Chris Turner, CEO of CVG and CVB, stated, "The agreement for Cambridge Atomworks to set up their prototype research and development facility at Berkeley marks another significant advancement for the Berkeley Green Science and Technology Park, positioning it as a global hub for zero-carbon energy technology, education, and training within the Severn Edge Nuclear Supercluster."

Cambridge Atomworks expressed that the agreement with CVG represents a crucial step in the regulatory development of the Odin microreactor, providing essential insights into the combined physics and thermal hydraulics necessary for global regulatory compliance.

Ian Farnan, CEO of Cambridge Atomworks, noted: "Once our physics demonstration campaign is finalized, we plan to utilize the Berkeley-based prototype reactor as a training facility for our global workforce and the UK's nuclear workforce. At present, there is no reactor training facility available in the UK for this purpose."

Founded in 2023, Cambridge Atomworks is developing the Odin microreactor for the US company NANO Nuclear under an outsourced consulting arrangement. Last year, they reclaimed the intellectual property, culminating in a letter of intent signed in September, and in March of this year, they established a memorandum of understanding with Mott MacDonald for the microreactor's development.

The company asserts that the Odin microreactor is engineered "with air as the ultimate heat sink and to be walk-away safe in any deployment scenario, meaning it does not require proximity to a water source. Cooling can occur naturally through the molten salt and an auxiliary air cooling system."