Southern Company stock gains nuclear milestone as DOE backs reactor test

Published on 10/30/2026 at 12:35 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Southern Company stock gets a new advanced-nuclear reference point. The DOE-backed test could reach first criticality as early as 2027.

Advanced Nuclear Work Moves Forward

The Department of Energy approved cost-shared funding for the accelerated final stage of the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment.
The project is intended to generate operating data for reactor design, licensing and potential commercial applications.
Southern Company is scheduled to report third-quarter results on November 5, 2026.

Southern Company, US8425871071, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Southern Company and Core Power announced on October 14, 2026, that the U.S. Department of Energy had approved cost-shared funding for the accelerated final stage of the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment. The development was reported by ANS Nuclear Newswire on October 15.

The DOE-backed work involves Southern Company, Idaho National Laboratory and Core Power. The experiment, known as MCRE, could achieve first criticality as early as 2027. If that milestone is reached, it would be the first fast-spectrum molten chloride salt reactor experiment to do so, according to ANS.

Testing Aims To Cut Technical Uncertainty

MCRE is designed as a 150-kilowatt-thermal reactor using fuel dissolved in liquid chloride salt rather than a solid fuel assembly. The experiment is planned for the Zero Power Physics Reactor cell at Idaho National Laboratory's Materials and Fuels Complex, repurposed as the Laboratory for Operations and Testing in the United States.

The project is intended to produce direct operating data on fuel behavior, reactor operations and system performance. That evidence could support future reactor designs, licensing pathways and potential commercial applications, although the experiment itself is not a commercial power plant.

Southern Company has led the project since its selection under the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program in 2020. Idaho National Laboratory began producing the fuel salt in the same year and created its first batch in 2025. About 75 batches are expected to be needed for the reactor to reach criticality.

Long-Dated Option For The Utility

For Southern Company, the program adds an advanced-nuclear development option to a regulated utility business focused on electricity and natural-gas operations. The near-term financial effect of the experiment was not specified in the ANS report, so its relevance for shareholders is primarily tied to technology development, regulatory progress and the possibility of future reactor deployment.

Southern Company's advanced nuclear R&D manager Lauren Lathem said the experiment is intended to improve analytical models and reduce uncertainty for future reactor designers and regulators. Mark S. Berry, the company's senior vice president for research, environment and sustainability, said the partnership should expand knowledge of molten salt reactor technology and reduce technical uncertainty for future developers.

Southern Company stock traded at 83.71 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 12:31 Berlin time on Friday, October 30, 2026. Investors can follow the real-time quote of Southern Company stock.