Startup Ampera announced a 3D‑printed thorium microreactor module capable of delivering up to 30 megawatts of power for up to 30 years, targeting datacenter, defense and off‑grid applications.

The prototype was unveiled at the company's innovation center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where more than 100 attendees, including local officials, business leaders and employees, observed the presentation.

Founder and CEO Brian Matthews described the unit as featuring a fully 3D‑printed silicon carbide reactor core and pressure vessel, and said the subcritical, solid‑state design uses tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particles that contain thorium and require an external neutron source.

The reactor operates without sustaining a chain reaction on its own, eliminating the risk of a runaway excursion, and is intended to run for up to three decades without refueling.

Ampera plans to offer configurations generating 15 or 30 megawatts, which it says could supply a typical datacenter, and larger versions are under development.

The company has established an Australian subsidiary to secure thorium supplies and intends to produce the fuel kernels domestically.

Matthews said the firm expects the power generation portion of the system to be available as early as 2027, with the nuclear module slated for customer delivery around 2030 pending regulatory approval.

When asked about the neutron driver that initiates operation, the company declined to provide details.

The U.S. Air Force has indicated interest in microreactors for three of its sites as part of a program to improve energy resilience during grid outages.

Regulators have not yet approved the technology, and the details of the neutron driver remain undisclosed.