Aalo-1 (Aalo-X)
US
Basics
Reactor Type
Liquid Metal Reactor
Reactor Description
Pool type LMR
Electric Output (MWe)
10
Thermal Output (MWt)
N/A
Size
Micro
'Micro' size
Electric output of less than 10 MWe
Electric output of less than 10 MWe
Spectrum
Thermal
Kinetic neutron energy of 0.000…0.025 eV
Slow or cold neutron / moderated neutron spectrum
Slow or cold neutron / moderated neutron spectrum
Developer
Aalo Atomics
Pilot Site Details
Idaho National Lab, Idaho
Details
Use (goal of commercial operation)
Electric power generation
Deployment medium
Land-based
Design Lifetime (Years)
80
Fuel
Fuel class
LEU
Low enriched uranium
Uranium enriched to less than 5 percent U-235
Uranium enriched to less than 5 percent U-235
Fuel Type
UO2 Pellets
Uranium dioxide
Most often used uranium compound for fuel elements
Most often used uranium compound for fuel elements
Fuel Cycle
Once-Through
Refuelling Cycle
36 Months
Cooling & Temperature
Reactor cooling of primary loop
Sodium
Reactor moderator
Graphite
Crystalline allotrope of element carbon
Special quality characteristics as moderator
Special quality characteristics as moderator
Reactor Outlet Temperature (°C)
550
Status
Design status
In construction
Licensing status
- Licensing under supervision of US DOE...
- Licensing under supervision of US DOE since INL is a federal site
- Final permit to startup experimental text reactor Aalo-X expected as of March 2026
- Company calls Aalo “extra-modular reactors”, or XMR. Design is based on pods containing five factory-built, 10-MWe Aalo-1 reactors arranged around a single turbine to produce 50 MWe.
Deployment timeline
- Commercial deployment by...
- Commercial deployment by 2030
- Test reactor (Aalo-X) demonstrator at INL expected startup by 4 July 2026 in line with DOE nuclear reactor pilot programme.
Agreements and Engagement
- Agreement with Global Nuclear Fuel...
- Agreement with Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF) for fuel fabrication
- Agreement with Baker Hughes to supply electric steam turbine generator set
- Agreement with Urenco USA for LEU fuel supply
