A Houston-based company is set to build an innovative high-temperature gas-cooled reactor at an experiment station in Texas. ZettaJoule will build ZJ0 reactor that may process heat at temperatures up to 1,742 degrees Fahrenheit (950° Celsius).
For this, a deal has been signed between ZettaJoule and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), a state agency which is part of the Texas A&M University System.
ZettaJoule to build its ZJ0 reactor
ZettaJoule would build its ZJ0 reactor and its advanced technology is based on decades of safe proven operations at Japan’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor.
“Texas has always powered this country, and the Texas A&M University System is helping power what comes next,” said Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar.
“We’re advancing research, training the workforce, and building partnerships that keep safety and transparency first. As AI and advanced manufacturing place new demands on the grid, our focus is clear – strengthen reliability, secure energy independence and create opportunity for Texans and the nation.”
ZJ0 platform could unlock entirely new applied research pathways for industry
With temperatures high enough for synthetic fuels, hydrogen, steelmaking, chemicals, desalination, and data centers, the ZJ0 platform could unlock entirely new applied research pathways for industry.
“We have long been a national leader in nuclear engineering, and this partnership positions us to help drive the next era of high temperature reactor innovation,” Dr. Robert H. Bishop, Vice Chancellor and Dean of Texas A&M Engineering said.
“This partnership strengthens our ability to support researchers and industry collaborators working at the forefront of next generation energy systems.”
Having the ZJ0 reactor could attract substantial research dollars from advanced materials companies, refiners, hyperscalers, and government agencies such as NASA and the Department of Energy, according to a press release.
“We are honored to partner with TEES and the Texas A&M University System, which are among the world’s greatest engineering institutions,” said ZettaJoule co-founder, & CEO Mitsuo Shimofuji.
“Together, our U.S.-Japan collaboration will help shape the future of advanced reactors by modernizing high-temperature technology pioneered in Japan and pairing it with Texas leadership in energy innovation.”
ZettaJoule would build the ZJ0 reactor adjacent to the TEES Nuclear Engineering & Science Center in College Station where the agency already has two research reactors. The new reactor facility would be owned by TEES.
“This agreement is a pivotal milestone toward creating a unique platform for high-temperature process heat research in the U.S.,” said ZettaJoule Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Harper.
“We’re excited to collaborate with TEES and the Texas A&M University System to explore how our reactor can deliver breakthrough energy solutions for academia, industry, and government agencies.”
The addition of the ZJ0 would make Texas A&M the only university in the U.S. with more than two nuclear research reactors on campus, reinforcing its position as one of the nation’s premier nuclear engineering programs.