Site named for first SOLO microreactor in US

Wednesday, 16 July 2025

Italy-based micro-modular reactor developer Terra Innovatum Srl has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rock City Admiral Parkway Development in Illinois to host the first deployment site for its SOLO reactor.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) foresees the Rock City site – a six-million square-foot industrial park in Illinois in the USA – becoming the site for the first-of-a-kind SOLO micro-modular reactor with an option to deploy up to 50 on the site in the future.

The reactor(s) would supply power to the businesses operating at the park.

Alessandro Petruzzi, Co-founder and CEO of Terra Innovatum, said: “Rock City is the perfect location for our first deployment as it showcases the massive real-world application potential of our micro-modular reactors and is in close proximity to a hotbed of nuclear research and talent.”

Joe Koppeis, Founder and Board Director of Admiral Parkway, said: “We are excited to partner with Terra Innovatum’s team to bring their innovative energy technology to the world. Once SOLO secures regulatory approval, we will be honoured to host the first-of-a-kind and take the next steps towards wider commercialisation.”

Special purpose acquisition company GSR III Acquisition Corp, which is listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange, is in the process of a business combination with Terra Innovatum which, when it closes, would see the micro reactor developer becoming a public company listed on Nasdaq.

The MoU says that, pending US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and other necessary approvals, Terra Innovatum will supply power via the initial unit for a 15-year term, with an option to extend to 45 years.

Background

Terra Innovatum is developing its SOLO micro modular reactor design, intended to form the basis for a scalable modular energy platform from MWe to GWe-class. A SOLO unit is designed to deliver approximately 1 MWe. The design features a solid heterogeneous composite moderator and is intended to accommodate both traditional zircaloy-clad low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel or, when available, LEU+ and high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuels. Heat removal is accomplished by helium gas which eliminates the need for water from the reactor coolant system.

The reactor is intended to feature autonomous operation, on-line safeguards-by-design, and a defence-in-depth structure of radiological barriers with the intent to minimise or eliminate emergency planning zone requirements beyond the operational boundary.

The NRC is currently engaged in pre-application activities with Terra Innovatum.