The Trump administration has announced a partnership with Valar Atomics to test its small-scale nuclear reactor for government use. On February 15, the reactor was transported from California to Utah's Hill Air Force Base. This move aligns with efforts to advance nuclear energy for national defense and innovation.
Valar Atomics, a Southern California startup founded by 26-year-old Isaiah Taylor in 2023, specializes in small-scale nuclear reactors designed to power about 5,000 homes. Taylor, a high-school dropout from Kentucky who later moved to Moscow, Idaho, has drawn attention for his rapid rise, including government contracts and investments from Silicon Valley firms. The company secured $1.5 million in pre-seed funding, followed by a $19 million seed round in 2025 and a $130 million round later that year.
In September of the previous year, the Department of Energy selected Valar as one of four companies for a pilot program to build nuclear fuel lines. Two months later, Valar became the first venture-backed startup to split atoms using its own reactor. Taylor described the achievement as marking 'the dawn of a new era in American nuclear engineering — one defined by speed, scale, and private-sector execution with closer federal partnership.' Head of Projects Max Ukropina added that America should be 'thrilled but wanting more.'
The recent partnership builds on these milestones. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright stated on X that 'President Trump promised the American people that he would unleash American energy dominance,' calling this 'the next chapter for U.S. energy.' The reactor, named Ward One, was flown from March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County, California, to Hill Air Force Base in Utah on February 15. A Department of Defense press release noted that the delivery 'will unlock significant possibilities for the future of energy resilience and strategic independence for our nation’s defense.'
This development follows a May executive order by President Trump aiming to have three test reactors operational by July 4 of this year. Valar has also joined a lawsuit against the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, challenging restrictive safety rules that prompted testing of Ward One in the Philippines instead of the U.S. Taylor argued in a post that operating the reactor in a remote U.S. area 'would not pose a threat to the health and safety of the public.'
Experts have expressed concerns about Valar's safety claims and scalability. Nuclear engineer Nick Touran questioned a company statement on spent fuel safety, calling it untrue. Former NRC chair Allison Macfarlane referred to founders like Taylor as 'nuke bros' who 'don’t know what they don’t know.' Despite these doubts, the administration's support highlights a push for nuclear innovation to power AI data centers and military bases.
Valar's funding includes investment from Day One Ventures, led by Masha Bucher, who has past ties to Russian figures and Jeffrey Epstein, though she has disavowed those connections.
