Pohlman and two co-authors reported in early June 2026 that nuclear energy is about to play a huge role in powering America, but the new reactors that will do the heavy lifting are surprisingly small. Some are so small they are classified as microreactors—mobile powerhouses capable of being transported anywhere they’re needed to provide power, including the most remote sites on the planet.
The NRIC DOME at the Idaho National Laboratory. (Photo courtesy: INL/DOE)
Spotlight on America traveled to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), where these microreactors are about to be powered up and tested for the very first time inside a facility already famous for making history.
“DOME” Ready to Make History Again
In the vast expanse of the Idaho National Laboratory, a silver, cylindrical structure stands out against the high desert horizon. Known simply as the "Dome," this structure is steeped in nuclear history, serving as the concrete and steel containment shield for the Experimental Breeder Reactor II.
"In 2017, it was slated to be torn down," says Brad Tomer, Director of the Idaho National Laboratory’s National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC). "But in 2019, they (decided) to keep it."
Now, history is unfolding here once again. The newly renovated and reconfigured Dome is taking center stage to test newly unleashed nuclear powerhouses, a massive moment for energy technology, focusing on a very small nuclear reactor.
Tomer and his staff are preparing to test fully fueled microreactors inside the facility for the very first time.
"The Dome will give you that extra layer of safety," Tomer explains. "So, you put it in there, you operate it, you prove that it's safe to operate individually."
Not Your Grandpa's Nuclear
Unlike the massive, sprawling nuclear power plants of the past, INL Director John Wagner says this new breed of nuclear technology is fundamentally different. John Wagner, Director of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Spotlight on America’s Duane Pohlman discussed the historic microreactor testing and historic moments that about to happen at INL. (Holden Robinson, SBG) This wave of innovation includes microreactors and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), both built with nuclear cores that are manufactured, fueled and sealed in factories.
"The way I think about it is a reactor that is fully fabricated in a factory, and the whole reactor can be transported," Wagner says.
While SMR cores will eventually be placed into permanent structures, microreactors are built for maximum mobility:
- Compact size: Designed to fit easily on standard trucks and inside shipping containers.
- Rapid deployment: Ready to travel anywhere to provide instant, on-site power.
- Long lifespan: Capable of operating for years without ever needing to be refueled.
"We are absolutely unleashing American ingenuity and brilliance," Tomer says.
The First Test: Radiant's Kaleidos
California-based Radiant Industries Inc. will be the first company to test a microreactor in the Dome, testing its new microreactor, Kaleidos, which is scheduled to begin in July.
Enhanced rendering of Radiant’s Kaleidos microreactor.
(Photo courtesy: Radiant Industries Inc.)
Kaleidos promises to provide 1.2 megawatts of electricity 24 hours a day for five years without refueling, enough energy to power 1,000 homes, run a small industrial site, or provide emergency backup power to areas devastated by natural disasters. Tomer describes the technology that’s being tested as a “game changer."
The system also introduces massive cooling innovations. The Kaleidos reactor uses helium gas—not water—for cooling. Other microreactors under development rely on liquid metals to keep temperatures stable. In both designs, the cooling materials never come into direct contact with the radioactive core.
Meltdown-Proof Fuel
Another major innovation is the nuclear fuel itself, known as TRISO (tristructural isotropic particles), tiny, engineered kernels of enriched uranium coated in robust layers of ceramic material. Wagner notes that these particles are virtually meltdown-proof.
"Because of the materials involved, the design of these TRISO fuels, they can withstand very, very high temperatures," Wagner says. "Such that even if you can postulate the most extreme case of high temperatures, they won't melt."
During a tour of the INL facility, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright stepped inside the Dome to emphasize the safety of these new systems.
"It's incredible how safe nuclear reactors are," Wright notes. "If everything goes wrong, they automatically turn themselves off."
Small but powerful, microreactors are ready to play a massive role in America’s new energy landscape—tested inside a Dome that has long been a home to history.
"The Dome is literally built on history," Tomer says.
What's Next?
Testing inside the Dome is expected to get underway this summer of 2026. If all goes well, the first commercial microreactors will begin deployment in 2028. However, not everyone is convinced about the safety of these "new" nuclear options. Critics have raised questions about the vulnerabilities of these reactors in real-world settings. We’ll have a full report investigating those safety and security concerns in the coming weeks.
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