NANO Nuclear Energy Awarded AFWERX Direct to Phase II Contract for KRONOS MMR(TM) RDT&E at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

Rhea-AI Summary

NANO Nuclear Energy (NASDAQ: NNE) has secured a significant $1.25 million Direct to Phase II (D2P2) contract from AFWERX, the U.S. Air Force's innovation arm. The contract focuses on evaluating the deployment of their KRONOS MMR™ Energy System at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C.

The KRONOS MMR™ is a high-temperature gas-cooled microreactor designed to deliver 15 MWe (45 MWth) of carbon-free power. The system features meltdown-resistant TRISO fuel, passive helium cooling, and "walk-away safety" capabilities. The project will assess base energy demands, grid vulnerabilities, siting options, and regulatory pathways for implementing this first-of-its-kind nuclear microreactor in an urban military installation.

Positive

• Secured $1.25 million AFWERX contract for military installation deployment study
• Strategic partnership with U.S. Air Force validates KRONOS MMR™ technology
• System designed with advanced safety features and autonomous operation capability
• Multiple units can be combined for scalable power generation

Negative

• Project is still in evaluation phase with no guaranteed deployment
• Regulatory approval for urban military installation deployment remains uncertain

Insights

Defense & Energy Technology Analyst

NANO Nuclear's $1.25M Air Force contract validates its microreactor technology and opens potential military market opportunities.

NANO Nuclear Energy has secured a significant $1.25 million Direct to Phase II contract from AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force. This represents a notable achievement for the company's KRONOS MMR™ microreactor program, as it establishes a foothold in the defense sector—a potentially massive market for advanced nuclear technologies.

The contract scope is particularly noteworthy as it involves feasibility studies for deploying nuclear technology at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., a dense urban military installation. This challenging environment creates a high-visibility test case that could become a reference point for future military applications. The project will address key implementation questions including energy demands, grid vulnerabilities, siting options, environmental considerations, and regulatory pathways.

The technical specifications of the KRONOS MMR™ align well with military requirements. The 15 MWe (45 MWth) microreactor features several defense-critical attributes: meltdown-resistant TRISO fuel, passive cooling systems with "walk-away safety," and island-mode microgrid capability—enabling operations during grid disruptions. These features directly address the Air Force's energy resilience priorities while eliminating dependence on vulnerable fuel convoys.

This contract represents an important validation of NANO Nuclear's technology approach and opens potential pathways to further defense contracts. As militaries worldwide seek energy independence and carbon reduction, successful execution of this project could position NANO Nuclear as a preferred provider in this specialized but potentially lucrative market segment.

NANO Nuclear chosen to conduct a research, development, test and evaluation effort aimed at deploying a KRONOS MMR^™ Energy System at Washington, D.C. military base

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - September 2, 2025) - NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) ("NANO Nuclear" or the "Company"), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today announced it has been awarded a Direct to Phase II (D2P2) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by AFWERX to explore the feasibility of deploying its advanced KRONOS MMR^™ Energy System at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) in Washington, D.C.

Figure 1 - NANO Nuclear Energy Awarded AFWERX Direct to Phase II Contract for KRONOS MMR™ RDT&E at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

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AFWERX is the innovation and venture arm of the U.S. Air Force, and this project will be undertaken in collaboration with the 11th Civil Engineering Squadron.

The approximate $1.25 million contract will examine JBAB's current and future energy demands, grid vulnerabilities, siting options, environmental considerations, and regulatory pathways for introducing a first-of-its-kind nuclear microreactor to a dense urban military installation. The effort directly addresses the Air Force's priority to enhance energy resilience, reduce reliance on fragile or aging commercial grids, and enable secure, carbon-free baseload power.

The KRONOS MMR^™ is a stationary, high-temperature gas-cooled microreactor designed to deliver 15 MWe (45 MWth) of carbon-free power, for multi-decade use across multiple industries and environments. Multiple KRONOS MMRs can be synergistically used to achieve any desired power level. Using meltdown-resistant TRISO fuel and passive helium cooling, the KRONOS MMR^™ is being designed to shut down and remain in a safe state automatically without any human intervention or external power (so called "walk-away safety") while seeking to ensure the ability to disconnect from the main grid and operate autonomously during outages or other disruptions (so called "full island-mode microgrid" capability). The system eliminates dependence on fuel convoys, is being designed to withstand cyber and physical threats, and enable continuous mission-critical operations.

"Winning this D2P2 with AFWERX marks another milestone for NANO Nuclear and a validation of our belief that KRONOS MMR^™ Energy System as a leading microreactor program," said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear Energy. "The KRONOS MMR^™ represents a transformative potential for energy assurance for the Department of the Air Force, combining a design for resilience, safety, and carbon-free generation in one modular microreactor platform."

"This AFWERX award highlights the growing demand for next-generation nuclear solutions," said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. "Our KRONOS MMR^™ is designed to protect critical missions in the most demanding environments, and this contract underscores NANO Nuclear's emerging status as the leader in bringing microreactors to the defense ecosystem. We look forward to beginning work on this project at JBAB and thank the Air Force for the opportunity to do so."

NANO Nuclear is directly supported on this effort by Stonegardens Advisory LLC, a premier defense business development and strategy firm headquartered in New York City. Stonegardens, recognized for its role in guiding cutting-edge technologies into the defense ecosystem, worked alongside NANO Nuclear to position the KRONOS MMR^™ reactor for this contract win within the Department of the Air Force's innovation pipeline.

ABOUT AFWERX

AFWERX, a directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), is the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force. Its mission is to accelerate agile, affordable capability transitions by connecting the Department with innovators and entrepreneurs. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed more than 6,200 contracts worth over $4.7 billion.

Follow AFWERX @ https://x.com/AFWERX

About AFRL

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. With over 12,500 personnel worldwide, AFRL leads the discovery, development, and integration of affordable technologies for air, space, and cyberspace forces.

Follow AFRL @: https://x.com/AFResearchLab

About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear's reactor products in development include (i) the patented KRONOS MMR^™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and for which NANO Nuclear is exploring a demonstration project with Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario, Canada, (ii) "ZEUS", a patent-pending, portable solid core battery reactor, and (ii) the patented, space focused, portable LOKI MMR^™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are modular, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.

Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear's own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear's developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR^™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS' initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon's surface.

For more corporate information, please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/.

For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:
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Business Tel: (212) 634-9206
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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear's management in connection with this news release contain or may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "potential", "will", "should", "could", "would" or "may" and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements relate to the anticipated benefits to NANO Nuclear of the AFWERX contract described herein and NANO Nuclear's plans to develop a KRONOS MMR^TM at JBAB. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management's current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") or related state or non-U.S. nuclear licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act and the May 23, 2025 Executive Orders seeking to streamline nuclear regulation, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/264688

FAQ

What is the value of NANO Nuclear Energy's AFWERX contract for KRONOS MMR™?

NANO Nuclear Energy (NASDAQ: NNE) was awarded an approximately $1.25 million Direct to Phase II (D2P2) contract from AFWERX.

What is the power output capacity of the KRONOS MMR™ nuclear reactor?

The KRONOS MMR™ is designed to deliver 15 MWe (45 MWth) of carbon-free power for multi-decade use.

Where will NANO Nuclear Energy's KRONOS MMR™ be deployed?

The contract is to explore deployment feasibility at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) in Washington, D.C., though actual deployment is pending evaluation results.

What are the key safety features of NANO Nuclear's KRONOS MMR™ reactor?

The reactor features meltdown-resistant TRISO fuel, passive helium cooling, and 'walk-away safety' that allows automatic safe shutdown without human intervention or external power.

How does the KRONOS MMR™ support military base operations?

The system provides secure, carbon-free baseload power with full island-mode microgrid capability, eliminating dependence on fuel convoys and protecting against cyber and physical threats.