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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AMPERA today announced its factory-built, scalable, supercritical nuclear energy system will be fueled by thorium procured from Australia and produced in-house by the company.
Rendering of a TRISO thorium fuel kernel that will be produced by AMPERA
In October 2025, the United States government announced a framework with Australia securing supply for mining and processing of critical, rare-Earth minerals. In February, AMPERA formed Ampera Australia Pty Ltd to expedite the procurement and import of thorium to the U.S.
“Our strategy is to secure thorium directly at the source and vertically integrate the entire fuel value chain, from mineral supply through advanced fuel production,” said AMPERA Founder and CEO Brian Matthews. “Thorium offers a compelling combination of abundance, energy potential, economics, and safety, making it an ideal fuel for AMPERA’s advanced microreactors and a promising resource for the broader nuclear industry.”
AMPERA’s broad fuel platform is built on proprietary processes protected by trade secrets and more than 60 patents for nuclear fuel manufacturing, including proprietary jetting technology used to produce high-quality safe tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel kernels.
Advanced thorium fuel cycles have the potential to achieve significantly higher fuel utilization than conventional uranium fuel cycles. According to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, thorium could potentially offer a long-term solution to humanity’s energy needs.
Thorium, periodic table element 90, is naturally occurring and over three times more abundant in Earth’s crust than uranium. While thorium can provide an energy dense fuel source, it is weakly radioactive, yet fertile, allowing it to be converted into reactor fuel. Additionally, it is far less conducive for weapons proliferation and has the potential to reduce long-lived actinide waste relative to conventional uranium-plutonium fuel cycles.
“Thorium is the future for ultra-safe, clean power production,” Matthews said. “By producing TRISO thorium kernels in the United States, we can ensure ample access to the needed fuel supply as we scale up and also minimize price volatility risk.”
In April, AMPERA held a grand opening for its global headquarters in Florida. The company plans to produce TRISO thorium kernels at another location in the state. AMPERA’s advanced reactors will be factory sealed and are being designed not to require refueling for 30 years.
About AMPERA
AMPERA is an advanced next-generation energy company pioneering subcritical thorium-based microreactor systems for the AI era that are energy dense and do not require refueling. Through its proprietary TRISO fuel platform, neutron-source technology and advanced additive manufacturing, AMPERA delivers scalable, factory-built, rapidly deployable, emission-free power for data centers, defense, industrial and maritime applications. Learn more at www.amperacleanenergy.com.
