Deep Fission has commenced an historic drilling for the world’s first underground nuclear reactor in the state of Kansas. The company is known well in the field of advanced nuclear energy as it develops the monumental project. Its scope entails small modular pressurized water reactors installed one mile underground. Moreover, the company announced earlier this week that it had begun drilling for its first acquisition well in Parson, Kansas.

The well will be drilled to a depth of approximately 6,000 feet. Moreover, it will have a diameter of roughly eight inches. The well is the first of three planned and represents the initial phase of site characterization and engineering validation.

The nuclear firm has also completed construction of the drilling pad at the Parsons site, preparing the location for safe and efficient drilling operations. Pad completion marks another key infrastructure milestone as Deep Fission advances from planning and engineering into active field development. Over the years, various companies such as Amazon have leveraged advanced nuclear use for various aspects with the growing demand for data centers.

Scope on the World’s First Underground Nuclear Reactor in Kansas

Liz Muller, CEO and Co-Founder of Deep Fission, noted her remarks regarding the progress on the world’s first underground nuclear reactor. “Drilling our first borehole is a major step forward for Deep Fission. It also represents the shift from concept to construction and begins the process of demonstrating a fundamentally new approach to nuclear energy deployment,” she noted.

The data acquisition well will enable the Company to gather critical geological, hydrological, and thermal data. The data obtained will be able to inform aspects such as final engineering design, safety analysis and regulatory planning. The drilling campaign and subsequent testing program will also support a series of technical evaluations aimed at accelerating the company’s pathway to commercial deployment.

Moreover, the three-well drilling program is expected to provide the subsurface data. It is essential in advancing reactor demonstration and future commercialization efforts. Deep Fission is participating in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Reactor Pilot Program.

Project Factsheet.

• Project Description: Deep Fission Underground Nuclear Reactor Demonstration.
• Location: Parsons, Kansas, the United States.
• Project Type: Underground small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) project.
• Developer: Deep Fission

Timeline

• 2026: First acquisition well starts being drilled.
• 2026: Parsons Drilling pad finished at the location.
• Phase 1 Phase 1: Site characterization and engineering validation.

Site & Scale

• Type of Reactor: Small modular pressurized water reactor (SMR).
• Installation Depth: 1 mile or so in the ground.
• Borehole Depth: About 6,000 feet.
• Borehole Diameter: Approx. 8 inches.
• Wells Intended: Three validation and testing boreholes.

Key Developers/ Authorities/ Partners.

•  Deep Fission – Project developer.
•  U.S. Department of Energy – Reactor Pilot Program.

Strategic Objectives

• Build underground nuclear reactor first in the world.
• Also adopt small modular reactor development.
• Cut costs and risks of nuclear construction.
• Make nuclear energy deployment faster.

Technical Program

• Geological data collection.
• Hydrological analysis.
• Also studies of thermal performance.
• Safety validation and engineering.

Current Status

• The initial borehole is currently being drilled.
• There is also a unit drilled pad at Parsons site.
• Three-well testing program intended.