Rachael Zisk

Evanston, New York

Journalist at Payload

writing about cool stuff that's hard to build @ignitionnuclear and @payloadspace. alum @medillschool.

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Articles

Meta Teams With Constellation to Keep a Plant Running for AI

3 weeks ago | ignition-news.com | Rachael Zisk

Why build a whole new nuclear power plant when you’ve got a perfectly good one already running? That’s the motivation behind a deal between data giant Meta and energy utility Constellation. This week, Meta agreed to a 20-year power purchase agreement for the entire output of the Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois beginning in 2027. The 1,121 MW of power will support (to no one’s surprise) Meta’s AI and data center needs in the Midwest while preserving 530 jobs at the plant.
NuScale Gets the NRC Nod to Go Bigger

3 weeks ago | ignition-news.com | Rachael Zisk

Go big or go home. NuScale Power ($SMR) announced last week that it has received NRC standard design approval for its second SMR plan. This reactor has the capacity to produce 77 MW of energy, compared to the 50 MW version of the design that the regulator approved in 2020. The 77 MW version of the reactor is intended as a unit in a group of six, forming a 462 MW plant called the US460. NuScale said that the configuration can scale up to a 12-reactor, 924 MW electric plant.
A Q+A With Simon Irish, CEO of Terrestrial Energy

3 weeks ago | ignition-news.com | Rachael Zisk

As the advanced nuclear sector gets closer to commercialization, firms are eyeing the public markets for access to capital and to take advantage of public excitement for a potential new, clean, safe energy source. Terrestrial Energy is the latest nuclear firm to finalize plans to go public. The molten salt reactor company announced in March that it will enter the public markets via SPAC. The transaction is expected to close in Q4, generating up to $280M in gross proceeds.
Four Executive Orders Back Nuclear Power Development

1 month ago | ignition-news.com | Rachael Zisk

If there was any doubt in your mind that nuclear power is truly favored under the current administration, this past week should have erased it. On Friday, President Trump signed four executive orders. Each targets a different corner of the nuclear power development process, from funding to licensing to testing to deployment. The biggest goal: a 4x jump in US nuclear capacity by 2050.
Radiant Closes a $165M Series C

1 month ago | ignition-news.com | Rachael Zisk

Radiant, a nuclear firm founded by a SpaceX alum on a mission to replace diesel reactors with easily manufacturable and shippable nuclear microreactors, has closed a $165M round of funding to support its mission. The Series C was led by DCVC. It also included participation from StepStone, Giant Ventures, Hanwha Asset Management Venture Fund, SGA, Crossbeam Venture Partners, Align Ventures, ARK Venture Fund, Gigascale Capital, HartBeat Ventures, and Pax Ventures—all new investors.
The “Big, Beautiful Bill” Passes in the House

1 month ago | ignition-news.com | Rachael Zisk

This morning, just after 7 AM, after an exhausting 24-hour-plus back-and-forth between moderate and far-right Republicans, the House of Reps passed a reconciliation bill by a one-vote majority. The bill boosts military spending by $150B and makes early cuts to tax credit programs for clean energy, mainly renewables. Overall, nuclear energy maintained support.
Q1 Earnings Roll In

1 month ago | ignition-news.com | Rachael Zisk

A handful of nuclear firms have ventured onto the public markets, and Q1 earnings are starting to trickle in. Over the last week, three publicly traded advanced reactor companies—Oklo ($OKLO), NuScale Power ($SMR), and NANO Nuclear Energy ($NNE)—gave us a peek into how things are running. Here’s our roundup of the last week of nuclear earnings calls. NuScale plays a waiting game: NuScale is looking for solid customer contracts to secure while it awaits NRC approval of its 77 MW SMR design.
The NRC Dockets Dow’s Nuclear Construction Permit

1 month ago | ignition-news.com | Rachael Zisk

Dow is in at the NRC. The chemicals and plastics industrial giant announced in March that it would work with advanced nuclear firm X-energy to transition an industrial plant in Seadrift, TX to nuclear power. Now, the NRC has confirmed that it’s on board. The commission accepted—or docketed—the construction permit application for review this week.
Realta Fusion Raises a $36M Series A

1 month ago | ignition-news.com | Rachael Zisk

In its mission to build a magnetic mirror fusion machine, Realta Fusion has secured an additional $36M in funding. The Series A round was led by Future Ventures. It also included participation from Avila VC, GSBackers, Khosla Ventures, Mayfield, SiteGround, TitletownTech, and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. Realta had already raised ~$16M across previous rounds and grants, bringing total funding to ~$52M.
Ontario Shoots to Build the West’s First SMR

1 month ago | ignition-news.com | Rachael Zisk

Watch out, America. Canada wants to beat you to the punch. Ontario Power Generation (OPG), a Canadian utility, has earned permission from the government of Ontario to begin building the first SMR at the Darlington New Nuclear Project. The project has been years in the making—site preparation began in 2022—and with this last approval, construction is set to begin.