Terrestrial Energy Further Strengthens Executive Leadership to Accelerate U.S. Commercialization of its Integral Molten Salt Reactor

Rhea-AI Summary

Terrestrial Energy (NASDAQ: IMSR) announced two senior hires to accelerate U.S. commercialization of its Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR): Jim Howe as VP of Government Relations and David O’Keefe as VP of Business Development & Project Management.

The company said Howe will deepen federal and Texas engagements for the RELLIS commercial site and O’Keefe will lead commercial delivery, DOE and national-lab coordination, and pipeline growth. Recent milestones cited include RELLIS site selection (Feb 2025), a DOE Advanced Reactor Pilot award targeting initial criticality by July 4, 2026 (Project TETRA, Aug 2025), selection for DOE Fuel Line Pilot (Sept 2025), an Ameresco collaboration, and an expanded Westinghouse fuel-pilot contract starting in 2026.

Positive

• Selected to site a commercial IMSR plant at Texas A&M RELLIS (Feb 2025)
• DOE Advanced Reactor Pilot award targeting initial criticality by July 4, 2026 (Project TETRA)
• Selected for DOE Fuel Line Pilot, validating SALEU fuel-supply strategy (Sept 2025)
• Collaboration with Ameresco to target data center and industrial energy customers
• Expanded Westinghouse contract for IMSR fuel-pilot facility, work commencing in 2026

Negative

• None.

Insights

Energy Policy & Regulatory Strategist

Appointments plus DOE selections and a commercial site nomination materially advance U.S. commercialization pathway for IMSR.

Bold moves — hiring Jim Howe strengthens federal and Texas government engagement while the DOE program selections and the Texas A&M RELLIS site nomination create formal pathways to regulatory, permitting, and funding touchpoints. These items together increase the company’s access to federal program managers and state regulators, which shortens administrative friction for a commercial Generation IV reactor deployment.

Key dependencies include continued DOE program alignment and timely milestone delivery, notably the July 4, 2026 initial criticality target under Project TETRA and state-level permitting under ERCOT jurisdiction after the February 2025 site selection. Watch for formal DOE milestone approvals, project funding tranches, and state permitting decisions over the next 6–18 months.

Project Delivery & Commercialization Lead

New business-development and project-management hires and supplier contracts materially improve delivery capacity for commercial IMSR projects.

Adding a seasoned project lead and expanding the Westinghouse fuel facility contract increase execution capability on supply-chain, fuel qualification, and construction fronts. The collaboration with Ameresco and selection for DOE fuel and pilot programs provide concrete upstream and downstream links that support commercialization workflows.

Risks remain executional: meeting the July 4, 2026 criticality target, delivering the Springfields Fuels construction start in 2026, and translating pilot program results into scalable plant orders. Monitor DOE milestone confirmations, Westinghouse contract deliverables, and commercial offtake or purchase agreements over the next 12–24 months.

Appoints Jim Howe as Vice President of Government Relations and David O’Keefe as Vice President of Business Development & Project Management to Advance Partnerships with the Department of Energy and Texas A&M

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Terrestrial Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: IMSR) (“Terrestrial Energy” or “the Company”), a developer of small modular nuclear power plants using its Generation IV reactor technology, today announced the appointments of Jim Howe as Vice President of Government Relations and David O’Keefe as Vice President of Business Development & Project Management. These appointments expand the Company’s senior leadership team and accelerate the company’s program to deploy Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) plants across multiple market sectors.

Terrestrial Energy’s small and modular IMSR plant is designed to supply clean, firm, high-temperature cost-effective energy for industrial operations, data centers, and power grids – sectors now seeking large scalable solutions to meet rising market demand. The additions of Howe and O’Keefe further enhance Terrestrial Energy’s ability to capture this expanding market by deepening its engagements with federal and state government and expanding its project-execution capacity.

Jim Howe, a retired U.S. Coast Guard Captain with two decades of Washington leadership, joins from the United Coalition for Advanced Nuclear Power. His distinguished career includes advising the Vice President of the United States, leading Congressional Affairs for the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Coast Guard, and advancing nuclear policy at ARC Clean Technology, Oklo, and Centrus Energy. At Terrestrial Energy, Howe will lead relationships with federal and state government, including engagements in Texas supporting the Company’s commercial IMSR plant project at the Texas A&M University System’s RELLIS campus.

David O’Keefe, CFA and CTP, brings 25 years of business-development and finance experience from Centrus Energy and Pacific Gas & Electric. He will oversee the RELLIS project’s commercial delivery, coordinate national laboratory and Department of Energy (DOE) relationships, and expand the Company’s pipeline of IMSR plant deployment opportunities in the U.S.

“Jim and David bring a wealth of valuable expertise in government relations and project management that will be critical to our ongoing efforts to commercialize IMSR technology," said Simon Irish, CEO of Terrestrial Energy. “Their leadership further strengthens our ability to deliver clean firm and cost-competitive energy at scale for data centers, industry, and the U.S. grid – driving tangible long-term value for our shareholders and partners as America expands its nuclear-energy infrastructure.”

These appointments come during a year of pivotal market developments and business achievements that have advanced Terrestrial Energy’s commercialization pathway for IMSR plants and significantly strengthened its market position. Recent milestones include:

• Selection to site a commercial IMSR plant at Texas A&M’s RELLIS campus, advancing one of the first commercial Generation IV reactor projects under ERCOT jurisdiction (February 2025);
• Collaboration agreement with Ameresco, Inc. focused on delivering customized, scalable, reliable, clean, and cost-competitive energy for data center and industrial applications, including the use of a natural gas-fired energy bridge;
• Selected under the DOE Advanced Reactor Pilot Program (Project TETRA) targeting initial criticality by July 4, 2026 (August 2025);
• Selection for DOE’s Fuel Line Pilot Program, validating the Company’s SALEU fuel-supply strategy (September 2025); and
• Expanded Westinghouse contract for construction of an IMSR fuel-pilot facility at Springfields Fuels, with work commencing in 2026.
  

With recent nuclear sector developments, the Company’s trajectory is aligned with federal policy directing the U.S. government to accelerate deployment of advanced nuclear technologies and scale nuclear generation capacity towards 400 GW by 2050.

Supported by multiple DOE programs, strong institutional partnerships, commercial site development, multi-year regulatory and supply chain development, the Company’s progress places it at the forefront of the U.S. nuclear energy renaissance.

About Terrestrial Energy

Terrestrial Energy is a developer of Generation IV nuclear plants that use its proprietary Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR). The IMSR captures the transformative operating benefits of molten salt reactor technology in a plant design that represents true innovation in capital efficiency, cost reduction, versatility and functionality of nuclear energy supply. IMSR plants are designed to be small and modular for distributed supply of low-cost, reliable, dispatchable, clean, high-temperature industrial heat and electricity, and to be customized for dual-use energy role relevant to many industrial applications, such as petrochemical and chemical synthesis, and data center operation. In so doing, IMSR plants extend the application of nuclear energy far beyond electric power markets. Their deployment will support the rapid global decarbonization of the primary energy system across a broad spectrum and increase its sustainability. Terrestrial Energy uses an innovative plant design together with proven and demonstrated molten salt reactor technology and standard nuclear fuel for a nuclear plant with a unique set of operating characteristics and compelling transformative commercial potential. Terrestrial Energy is engaged with regulators, suppliers, industrial partners and energy end-users to build, license and commission the first IMSR plants in the early 2030s.

Important Information for Shareholders

The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects the Company. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date this press release is actually delivered and involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: (1) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company or others following the announcement of the Business Combination; (2) the risk that the Business Combination disrupts current plans and operations of the Company as a result of the announcement and consummation of the Business Combination; (3) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain its management and key employees; (4) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (5) the possibility that the Company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (6) changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political conditions, and in applicable laws and regulations; (7) the ability to meet stock exchange listing standards following the consummation of the Business Combination; (8) the ability of the Company to build or maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain its management and key employees; and (9) other risk factors described herein as well as the risk factors and uncertainties described in documents filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and similar sections in its filings with the SEC, including the Registration Statement relating to the Business Combination filed by the Company, and any periodic Exchange Act reports filed with the SEC such as its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The recipient of this press release should carefully consider the foregoing risk factors and the other risks and uncertainties which will be more fully described in the documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. In addition, there may be additional risks that the Company presently knows, or that it currently believes are immaterial, that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Nothing in this communication should be regarded as a representation or warranty, either express or implied, by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made.

In addition, the information contained in this press release is provided as of the date hereof and may change, and the Company and its representatives and affiliates specifically disclaim any obligation to, and do not intend to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, inaccuracies, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Information contained on our website is not a part of or incorporated into this press release.

Terrestrial Energy Investor Center:

https://www.terrestrialenergy.com/investors

Terrestrial Energy Media & Investor Contact:

TerrestrialEnergy@icrinc.com

FAQ

What roles did Terrestrial Energy appoint on November 13, 2025 for IMSR commercialization?

Terrestrial Energy appointed Jim Howe as VP Government Relations and David O’Keefe as VP Business Development & Project Management.

How does Jim Howe’s appointment affect Terrestrial Energy’s Texas RELLIS project (IMSR)?

Howe will lead federal and state government relations, including engagements supporting the commercial IMSR plant at Texas A&M’s RELLIS campus.

What is the DOE timeline tied to Terrestrial Energy’s IMSR under Project TETRA?

The company cites a DOE Advanced Reactor Pilot award (Project TETRA) targeting initial criticality by July 4, 2026.

What commercial partnerships support Terrestrial Energy’s IMSR deployments in 2025–2026?

Terrestrial Energy highlighted a collaboration with Ameresco, selection for DOE Fuel Line Pilot (Sept 2025), and an expanded Westinghouse fuel-pilot contract starting in 2026.

What will David O’Keefe oversee for the IMSR RELLIS project and DOE relations?

O’Keefe will manage RELLIS project commercial delivery, coordinate national laboratory and DOE relationships, and expand the U.S. IMSR project pipeline.