U.S. NRC Dockets Terra Innovatum's SOLO Micro-Modular Reactor Topical Reports, Initiating the Formal Review and Approval Process

• Major regulatory milestone advancing SOLO™ achieved with the submittal of key Topical Reports in preparation of the Construction Permit Application for the first-of-a-kind deployment
• NRC determines key licensing submissions contain sufficient information to begin formal safety review
• Technical evaluation now underway as part of the reactor’s licensing pathway
• [Completion of] NRC Safety Evaluation of the Topical Reports anticipated by October 2026

NEW YORK, March 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Terra Innovatum Global N.V. (NASDAQ: NKLR), developer of the SOLO™ Micro-Modular Reactor, today announced that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has formally docketed several key topical reports supporting the licensing of the SOLO™ reactor design.

Docketing represents an important regulatory milestone in the U.S. nuclear licensing process and it means that the NRC has determined that Terra Innovatum’s submissions contain sufficient technical information to begin detailed safety and design evaluation as part of the Construction Permit and Operating License Application.

With the docketing of these reports, the SOLO™ Micro-Modular Reactor has formally entered the NRC’s technical review process, advancing the company’s regulatory pathway toward approval to construct and operate its first reactor.

“We believe the docketing of these reports reflects the technical preparation and maturity of the SOLO program,” said Alessandro Petruzzi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Terra Innovatum. “Entering the NRC’s formal technical review process represents one of the most significant regulatory milestones in the nuclear licensing pathway and supports our goal of first-of-a-kind deployment.”

“Docketing initiates the NRC’s detailed evaluation of key design, safety, and regulatory elements,” said Cesare Frepoli, Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Regulatory Affairs for Terra Innovatum. “Our team is actively supporting the NRC audit process as we work toward safety evaluation of the Topical Reports and continued progress toward licensing.”

The docketed submissions include:

• SOLO Nuclear Reactor Principal Design Criteria
• SOLO Project Quality Assurance Plan
• SOLO Safeguards Methodology and Implementation of Material Control & Accountancy (MC&A)
• SOLO Nuclear Design

Together, these reports outline the fundamental engineering, safety, and regulatory framework for the SOLO™ reactor and support the broader licensing pathway required for reactor construction and operation.

Following docketing, the NRC has initiated its technical audit phase — a standard component of the agency’s review process that allows regulators to examine supporting analyses, methodologies, and design implementation in detail.

The review will culminate in the preparation of NRC Safety Evaluations (SEs) for each topical area. Safety Evaluation determinations are currently anticipated by October 2026.

Completion of these reviews would represent a major regulatory milestone supporting Terra Innovatum’s targeted timeline for first-of-a-kind deployment of the SOLO™ reactor in 2027 and broader commercial deployment beginning in 2028.

The SOLO™ Micro-Modular Reactor is designed to deliver scalable, carbon-free baseload power for energy-intensive infrastructure including industrial facilities, data centers, and remote energy systems. As global electricity demand accelerates, particularly from digital infrastructure and industrial electrification, micro-modular nuclear technologies are increasingly being evaluated as reliable long-term clean energy solutions.

Regulatory Licensing Pathway

Terra Innovatum is pursuing a dual-licensing strategy with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), advancing both Construction Permit and Operating License pathways for the SOLO™ Micro-Modular Reactor in parallel.

This approach is enabled by the company’s decision to deploy the same reactor design for its first-of-a-kind (FOAK) unit and its future commercial fleet. Unlike many advanced reactor programs that build prototype systems which evolve between demonstration and commercialization, Terra Innovatum’s FOAK SOLO™ reactor is designed to be identical to the commercial units intended for fleet deployment.

As a result, key elements of the reactor design, safety systems, and regulatory framework are being reviewed with commercialization in mind from the outset.

By advancing the Construction Permit and Operating License pathways concurrently, Terra Innovatum aims to streamline regulatory review and reduce the time required to transition from first deployment to broader commercial rollout.

The NRC’s docketing of the SOLO™ topical reports marks the beginning of formal technical evaluation of the design elements supporting this licensing strategy.

SOLO™ Reactor Estimated Regulatory Timeline

Terra Innovatum’s licensing program is progressing through several key regulatory milestones:

2026 — NRC technical review of SOLO™ topical reports
Late 2026 — NRC Safety Evaluations (SEs) of the set of Topical Reports expected
2027 — Targeted Construction Permit and first-of-a-kind operating authorization
2028 — Targeted initial commercial fleet deployment

Completion of these milestones would position Terra Innovatum among the first companies advancing next-generation micro-modular nuclear reactor technology toward commercial deployment.

ABOUT TERRA INNOVATUM & SOLO

Terra Innovatum's mission is to make nuclear power accessible. We deliver simple and safe micro-reactor solutions that are scalable, affordable and deployable anywhere 1 MWe at a time.

Terra Innovatum is a pioneering force in the energy sector, dedicated to delivering innovative and sustainable power solutions. Terra Innovatum plans to leverage cutting-edge nuclear technology through the SOLO™ Micro-Modular Reactor (SMR™) to provide efficient, safe, and environmentally conscious energy. With a mission to address global energy shortages, Terra Innovatum combines extensive expertise in nuclear industry design, manufacturing, and installation licensing to offer disruptive energy solutions. Committed to propelling technological advancements, Terra Innovatum and SOLO™ are dedicated to fostering prosperity and sustainability for humankind.

It is anticipated that SOLO™ will be available globally within the next three years. Conceptualized in 2018 and engineered over six years by experts in nuclear safety, licensing, innovation, and R&D, SOLO™ addresses pressing global energy demands with a market-ready solution. Built from readily available commercial off-the-shelf components, the proven licensing path for SOLO™ enables rapid deployment and minimizes supply chain risks, ensuring final cost predictability. Designed to adapt with evolving fuel options, SOLO™ supports both LEU+ and HALEU, offering a platform ready to transition to future fuel supplies.

SOLO™ will offer a wide range of versatile applications, providing CO2-free, behind-the-meter, and off-grid power solutions for data centers, mini-grids serving remote towns and villages, and large-scale industrial operations in hard-to-abate sectors like cement production, oil and gas, steel manufacturing, and mining. It also has the ability to supply heat for industrial applications and other specialized processes, including water treatment, desalination and co-generation. Thanks to its modular design, SOLO™ can easily scale to deliver up to 1GW or more of CO2-free power with a minimal footprint, making it an ideal solution for rapidly replacing fossil fuel-based thermal plants. Beyond electricity and heat generation, SOLO™ can also contribute to critical applications in the medical sector by producing radioisotopes essential for oncology research and cancer treatment.