After years of being seen as a far-fetched idea, nuclear startups are finally having their moment. Last Energy, a company focused on small modular reactors, just landed a whopping $100 million in Series C funding. Seems like folks are finally catching on to the fact that nuclear power is a key part of our energy future.

These aren't your grandpa's nuclear plants. Last Energy is all about compact reactors that can be mass-produced, which brings down the cost. Each reactor is designed to kick out 20 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power around 15,000 homes. That's a pretty big deal!

So, what makes Last Energy different from the other nuclear startups out there? Well, they're taking a page from the past. They're using an old reactor design that the government cooked up decades ago for the NS Savannah, the world's first nuclear-powered merchant ship. It's like they found a good recipe and decided to spice it up a bit.

They're starting small, though. Last Energy is building a 5-megawatt pilot reactor at a site they're leasing from Texas A&M. The new funding will help to fully fund this project and will also help the company start delivering its first commercial products.

The Steel Box Approach

Here's where things get really interesting. Last Energy's reactors are designed to be sealed shut for life. Instead of servicing them, they're permanently encasing each core in 1,000 tons of steel. It's like burying a time capsule, but instead of old photos and trinkets, it's a nuclear reactor.

Once the reactor's lifespan is up, Last Energy will leave it right where it is, with the steel chamber acting as its own waste container. No need for separate disposal, which is a major win.

The big hope is that this approach, combined with better manufacturing, will drastically reduce the cost of nuclear power. While the CEO wouldn't give a specific price, he did point out that other industries have managed to cut prices in half for every tenfold increase in production. If Last Energy can pull that off, nuclear power could become a whole lot more accessible.

I think this innovative approach to nuclear power could be a game-changer. The idea of mass-producing small, sealed reactors that don't require constant maintenance is pretty compelling. It could make nuclear power a much more viable option for meeting our growing energy needs.