Press Release
Press Release
Press Contacts: Erik Cummins, Matt Hyams, Taina Rosa, Olivia Meyer
01.13.26
Nuclear Energy practice leader and former Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner Jeffrey Merrifield and Energy partner Anne Leidich advised Subcritical Systems Inc., an Austin-based energy technology company, on regulatory strategy for pursuing licensing of its accelerator-driven subcritical Energy Amplifier system under the existing U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulatory framework, following recent engagement with the NRC.
Founded in early 2025, Subcritical Systems is developing a new class of accelerator-driven subcritical nuclear energy systems for deployment in the U.S. The company combines high-power particle accelerators with deeply subcritical nuclear assemblies to create energy systems designed to be inherently safe, controllable and scalable.
The Energy Amplifier concept employs a high-power particle accelerator to drive fission in a deeply subcritical nuclear assembly, remaining below criticality under all operating and design-basis conditions. Because fission is externally driven, the system shuts down immediately when the accelerator beam ceases.
According to a company press release, the company plans to continue technical development and regulatory engagement as it advances toward domestic deployment of accelerator-driven subcritical energy systems for future commercial applications.
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