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Bluecore Energy is moving its floating nuclear power concept deeper into the development and regulatory phase, securing its first barge and beginning formal engagement with federal regulators as it works toward a commercial maritime nuclear system.
The Long Beach-based company said it is developing its first maritime nuclear energy system from inside the Port of Long Beach, where its current work includes a non-fueled reactor module prototype used to develop and validate monitoring, sensor and control systems.
Bluecore's initial system is being designed to produce about 10 megawatts of continuous power using water-cooled nuclear technology installed on a floating platform. The company says the system would be capable of operating for years between refueling and could eventually be scaled as electricity demand grows.
The concept is aimed initially at ports, critical infrastructure and other coastal locations where electricity demand is rising faster than existing grids can easily accommodate.
Unlike a conventional nuclear plant built at a permanent land-based site, Bluecore is designing the reactor system from the outset for a maritime platform. Depending on future licensing, safety analysis and operating requirements, the company says the technology could ultimately support ports, data centers and coastal infrastructure from offshore or other suitable maritime locations.
That approach is now beginning to collide with one of the biggest challenges facing commercial maritime nuclear power: regulation.
Bluecore said it has formally begun working with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and U.S. Coast Guard on the requirements that would apply to civilian floating nuclear systems. The two agencies have already established a memorandum of understanding intended to coordinate oversight of floating nuclear power plants and nuclear propulsion systems.
"The regulatory landscape for commercial nuclear maritime is coming together at exactly the right time," said Megan Moyette, Bluecore's licensing and safety lead and a former Navy nuclear submarine officer.
Moyette said the NRC and Coast Guard have both participated in the company's discussions from the beginning, giving Bluecore confidence that a clearer licensing pathway is beginning to emerge.
The effort comes as the federal government takes a broader look at whether small modular reactors could play a role in U.S. ports and commercial shipping.
The Port of Long Beach and U.S. Maritime Administration signed a first-of-its-kind cooperation agreement in July to explore maritime energy systems including small modular reactors, resilient port microgrids, shoreside power infrastructure and advanced vessel propulsion technologies.
Port officials have said the push toward electrification will eventually require hundreds of megawatts of additional power.
"Meeting that future will require new technologies and approaches to energy sources," Port of Long Beach CEO Noel Hacegaba said.
Long Beach has since been joined by the Port of Corpus Christi in MARAD's maritime nuclear initiative, while the agency has separately partnered with CORE POWER to examine the broader regulatory and commercial framework needed for nuclear-powered U.S.-flag merchant ships.
Bluecore's project is focused on floating power generation rather than nuclear propulsion.
The company says placing reactors on maritime platforms could provide power close to major users without taking up valuable port or coastal land. Future fueled systems, however, would still have to undergo federal nuclear licensing along with maritime, environmental, security and site-specific safety reviews.
Bluecore is backing the development effort with a newly completed $50 million seed financing led by Silverton Partners, building on a $10 million pre-seed round announced when the company emerged from stealth in July.
The company said the money will support engineering, hardware development, testing, manufacturing, regulatory and classification work and hiring as it moves its first system toward deployment.
Since emerging from stealth, Bluecore has also secured its first barge and expanded its development operation at the Port of Long Beach.
"Six months ago, we were building the foundation," founder and CEO Kofi Asante said. "Today, we have the capital, the team, the hardware, and some of the most important institutions in nuclear and maritime working alongside us."
While commercial deployment remains years away, the project is another sign that maritime nuclear concepts are beginning to move beyond studies and policy discussions and into hardware development, licensing work and real-world testing.
