IDAHO FALLS, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 6, 2026--
The advanced nuclear energy company Antares received U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approval of the Documented Safety Analysis for its Mark-0 reactor under DOE standard 1271.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260406531563/en/
This approval follows Antares' Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis approval in January 2026. This milestone reflects DOE's acceptance of the final design for the Mark-0 reactor and the safety case supporting it.
Antares now begins the DOE Readiness Review process, the final phase before the DOE approves the startup of our reactor pilot. Antares remains on track to go critical ahead of July 4, 2026.
“We are entering the final innings, and that’s incredibly exciting,” said Jordan Bramble, CEO and founder of Antares. “Getting here was only possible with strong support from our partners at Idaho National Laboratory and BWXT, and leadership at DOE, along with relentless work from the Antares team.”
"We developed this timeline in 2023, and we have hit every milestone since," said Bramble. "This is a clear sign that we are proving our safety basis every step of the way, and I’m proud of the way this team has cleared key checkpoints, on schedule, again and again.”
“The Department of Energy is pleased to see Antares reach this important milestone,” said Rian Bahran, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Reactors. “We remain committed to working with innovative companies like Antares to reach the President’s ambitious goal of ensuring at least three reactors reach criticality before July 4, 2026.”
The Mark-0 demonstration will validate reactor physics, neutronics models, and the instrumentation and control system that will also be used in the Mark-1 electricity-producing reactor planned for 2027. Fuel fabrication for the company’s first reactors has been underway through BWX Technologies since October 2025, using HALEU fuel secured through a DOE allocation.
Following the Mark-0 demonstration, Antares will use the same test facility and fuel batch for its Mark-1 reactor in 2027, advancing toward initial deployments for defense and space customers in 2028.
About Antares
Antares is building compact nuclear microreactors to deliver reliable, rapidly deployable energy where it’s needed most: remote military bases, austere industrial sites, and, one day, deep space and underwater missions. For more information, visit https://antaresindustries.com/.
Antares Receives DOE Documented Safety Analysis Approval for Mark-0 Demonstration Reactor
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.
Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.
Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.
Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.
Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.
Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."
Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.
Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."
Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”
Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.
The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.
Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)
Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)
Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)
