Compact nuclear power built around proven gas turbine technology.
Photo credit: Nuclear Turbines
Nuclear Turbines is a Manchester-based energy startup spun out of BAE Systems that is developing compact, modular nuclear systems designed to deliver the lowest possible cost of electricity. Founded by former BAE principal engineer Jeremy Owston and University of Manchester nuclear engineer Professor Tim Abram, the company flipped conventional nuclear design on its head, starting with mature commercial gas turbine technology and engineering a reactor that directly heats compressed air before returning it to the turbine to generate power.
Rather than building reactors first and solving power conversion later, Nuclear Turbines integrates a novel reactor architecture with off-the-shelf high-temperature turbine components, eliminating expensive steam infrastructure and enabling truly modular, behind-the-meter deployment. The system targets data centers, energy-intensive manufacturing, and industrial sites where speed to power and cost competitiveness are growth constraints, with passively safe design and a commercial thesis that the next generation of nuclear must be simpler, smaller, and more affordable than today's plants.
Nuclear Turbines sells compact nuclear power systems for behind-the-meter and hybrid grid deployments at industrial sites, data centers, and energy-intensive facilities. By combining breakthrough direct-air-heating reactor design with proven gas turbine technology, the company aims to deliver clean baseload power at economics that can undercut fossil fuels and alleviate near-term grid constraints.
Raised £15M in 2025 to validate reactor design, build large-scale test rigs, and prepare first fuel element manufacturing; claims potential to generate electricity at a fraction of the cost of conventional nuclear plants through design simplicity and modularity.
Gas Turbine Integration
Designs around proven commercial gas turbines rather than bespoke steam systems, cutting cost and complexity.
True Modularity
Compact reactor architecture enables scalable, behind-the-meter deployment at industrial and data center sites.
Passively Safe Design
Inherently robust fuel form and safety architecture built into the long-term operational model.
Cost-First Engineering
Every technical decision optimized for power economics, targeting clean energy cheaper than fossil alternatives.
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