Radiant CEO Doug Bernauer on Portable Nuclear Microreactors & the Future of Clean Energy

Sourcery’s Molly O’Shea sits down with Doug Bernauer, Founder and CEO of Radiant, a company pioneering portable nuclear reactors designed to replace traditional diesel generators. Doug shares insights from his experience working with Elon Musk at SpaceX and delves into Radiant’s mission and key innovations. He discusses their ambitious goal of fuel testing by 2026 and provides a technical deep dive into the technology, history, and safety measures of nuclear power. Discover how Radiant aims to meet clean energy needs in remote locations with their one-megawatt transportable nuclear reactors.

Quick Stats on Radiant:

• 1 MW electric

• 1.9 MW heat, recoverable up to 80 degrees Celsius

• Unit lifetime of 20 years with 4 cores, cores are replaced at the factory

• Transportable by land, air, sea

• Passive safety features

• TRISO fuel is meltdown-proof and handles temperatures up to 1600 C

• Helium coolant does not become radioactive, eliminating the impact of a release

• Passive cooling air jacket keeps fuel and vessel temperatures controlled even if power is lost

• Planning to test Kaleidos at the Idaho National Lab DOME in 2026, first commercial units in 2028

-

Follow on Twitter 

https://x.com/MollySOShea

https://x.com/DougBernauer

Check out: 

https://radiantnuclear.com/

Subscribe to Sourcery:

https://www.sourcery.vc/ 

- 

Companies mentioned:

SpaceX: https://www.spacex.com/

Radiant Nuclear: https://radiantnuclear.com/

Idaho National Lab: https://inl.gov/

Oak Ridge National Lab: https://www.ornl.gov/

Union Square Ventures: https://www.usv.com/

A16z: https://a16z.com/

–

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:42) Meet Doug Bernauer: Founder and CEO of Radiant

(02:30) Doug's Journey at SpaceX

(04:38) The Radiant Team and Their Backgrounds

(07:27) Founding Radiant Nuclear

(10:45) Innovative Nuclear Technology

(14:05) History of Nuclear Energy

(18:56) Public Sentiment and Nuclear Energy

(23:01) Challenges in Nuclear Industry

(24:42) Radiant's Commitment to Innovation

(25:25) Vertical Integration and Product Development

(27:28) Microreactors: A New Frontier

(28:40) Building the Nuclear Playbook

(32:09) Funding and Financial Strategy

(33:09) Remote Communities and Nuclear Power

(37:41) Technical Insights and Safety

(41:25) Team Building and Future Goals

(44:55) Wrap