Company Overview: Metatomic, Inc., a S.C. corporation, was formed in 2016 to develop technologies for recycling the large and increasing accumulation of commercial light water reactor (LWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in the U.S.

SNF is hazardous for thousands of years (NRC.gov). Approximately 92,000 metric tons of SNF from 93 LWRs operating at 56 plants has accumulated at such plants over the past decades, and approximately 2,000 metric tons are added each year. Storage costs to U.S. taxpayers are in the billions of dollars per the GAO, and SNF presents both long-term security and environmental risks. Although deemed “spent,” SNF still has approximately 95% of its potential to produce electricity, i.e., enough energy to produce electricity (and related jobs) for a hundred years (Argonne National Lab).

Molten salt reactors (MSRs) offer many advantages over LWRs. In the 1960s, a Thermal Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) was built and run for several years at Oak Ridge National Labs (ORNL). In September 2024, Natura Resources, a consortium of Ga Tech, Texas A&M, Univ. of Texas, and Abilene Christian University received approval to construct a Thermal MSR for teaching purposes. Notably, China recently built a Thorium-based thermal MSR in the Gobi Desert. A drawback of Thermal MSRs is that they still produce considerable amounts of waste.

A second generation of MSRs known as “Fast” MSRs, will burn up most of their fuel and leave comparatively minimal waste. Notably, Bill Gates’ TerraPower and Southern Power, Inc. and Core Power are working on a Fast MSR.

In anticipation of deployment of MSRs, Metatomic has developed, and in 2020 patented, technologies for conversion of SNF to salt fuel for MSRs. See U.S. Pat. No. 10,685,753 and others. Metatomic’s technology offers both Thermal and Fast MSR reactor owners/operators the opportunity to safely access existing SNF for MSR fuel, using Metatomic’s non-aqueous “dry” conversion process. Additionally, if such new fuel is used in Fast MSRs, the SNF can essentially be “burned up,” thereby closing the nuclear fuel cycle. By reclaiming uranium from SNF for use in MSR fuel, Metatomic’s process would reduce the need to buy uranium from Russia and China and the need to mine U.S. uranium, a strategic asset.

In contrast to the conventional PUREX process for recycling SNF, which separates uranium and plutonium from SNF to produce LWR fuel, Metatomic’s technologies are much simpler, and importantly, use no heavy metal separations. Consequently, Metatomic’s processes generate no plutonium or other heavy metal constituent waste streams and instead maintain plutonium and all other heavy metal SNF constituents together throughout conversion to MSR fuel. So, the Metatomic® processes are intrinsically proliferation resistant.

Facilities based on Metatomic’s processing will be of a scalable and flexible architecture. Scalability will allow production of molten salt fuel at either large regional SNF storage sites or compactly on existing LWR sites with collocated MSRs (which would thereby eliminate the need to ship SNF off-site for processing).

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy recognized the potential of Metatomic’s technology and awarded Metatomic $500,000 in R&D support at Savannah River National Laboratory.

Awarded GAIN voucher – $500,000 in federally funded research at Savannah River National Lab

Successfully introduced provisions in South Carolina’s 2025 Energy Security Act requiring the Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council to diligently explore use of “molten salt reactors” and spent fuel recycling in South Carolina

Through meetings with and written submissions to SC Senator Tom Davis and SC Speaker of the House Smith, Metatomic was instrumental in urging SC to propose reopening VC Summer

Recognized by US Senate staff as being one of only a handful of companies having the technology and capability to provide cost estimates for building an operational fuel reprocessing facility in the US

Recently urged the Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council to investigate the potential repurposing of orphaned spent nuclear fuel processing in Barnwell, SC for use as fuel re-processing facility having updated technology — GNAC and Metatomic are scheduled to tour the Barnwell site this week

Invited to initial meeting of Palmetto Nuclear Coalition (PNC) at SC Governor’s Mansion and to join PNC. The four founders of PNC are: Google, Milliken, DC Blox (datacenters), and NuCor Steel

Worked closely with EDA-funded SC NEXUS to emphasize SC‘s nuclear assets and forming of an SC nuclear research center of excellence. Have been invited to and participated in two SC NEXUS nuclear workshops comprised of a limited number of nuclear companies and government offices in the state to explore and promote SC‘s nuclear capabilities.

Invited by Argonne National Labs to attend workshop of DOE and national industry players in the nuclear sector.

Have received letters of support from Tennessee Valley Authority and Natura Resources (the company building an MSR at Abilene Christian University)

Have developed a close relationship and have NDAs in place with SRNL, Clemson, and USC

Founding member of EDA-funded Southeastern Nuclear Advisory Council (SENAC)

• Metatomic’s founders have a combined total of at least 140 years’ experience in the nuclear industry
• Have multiple US patents and pending patents. Pending patent protection in Europe and internationally (via PCT application)
• Re FMSRs: Use “100 times less uranium required to produce the same amount of energy as water-cooled systems if the fuel is continuously recycled in a fast reactor” leading to a “90% reduction in nuclear waste.”