Utah explores nuclear reactors small enough to fit in shipping containers

Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun on Aug 25, 2026

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The state of Utah is looking for places to site 1-megawatt nuclear reactors small enough to fit inside standard 20-foot shipping containers.

The state’s Office of Energy Development signed an agreement with Houston-based Deployable Energy Limited last week to explore the feasibility of deploying Unity Nuclear Batteries around the state.

“Utah is leading the nation in energy innovation, and our partnership with Deployable Energy is another step towards an abundant energy future that is reliable, secure and clean,” Emy Lesofski, Director, Energy Advisor to the Governor and Director of the Utah Office of Energy Development, said in a statement announcing the agreement.

The Unity Nuclear Battery is a compact microreactor that would be built within a factory, then could be deployed where needed.

According to Deployable Energy, the battery uses a 5% enriched uranium dioxide fuel and helium coolant. The batteries are modular, meaning they can be deployed individually or in arrays of hundreds of units. Their factory fueling lasts five years, according to the company.

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