COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Nuclear Company, a startup spearheading next-generation nuclear power deployment, has officially opened its main engineering and construction office in Columbia, South Carolina. The announcement marks a pivotal step in the company’s plan to modernize nuclear construction and meet rising U.S. energy demands.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster welcomed the company’s investment, citing the broader implications for the state’s economic and energy future.

“When South Carolina attracts businesses like The Nuclear Company, it strengthens our economy, creates new opportunities for our people, and reinforces our position as a leader in energy innovation,” said McMaster. “Reliable, affordable energy is essential for our future prosperity, and this investment marks another step toward securing a bright future for our state. As our population increases and technology advances, expanding nuclear power will be critical to meeting our energy needs.”

The Palmetto State, already ranked as the third-largest nuclear-producing state in the U.S., is a strategic fit for the company. With more than half its energy generated through nuclear sources, South Carolina boasts both the infrastructure and policy environment conducive to innovation in the sector.

In addition to unveiling its new Columbia hub, The Nuclear Company also revealed the successful close of its Series A funding round. Led by Eclipse Ventures, the round attracted follow-on investments from key early backers including CIV, True Ventures, Wonder Ventures, Goldcrest Capital, and MCJ Collective. Patrick Maloney, co-founder of CIV, also serves as chairman of The Nuclear Company.

As part of the expansion, Greg Reichow, a partner at Eclipse and a former Tesla executive, has joined the company’s board.

“U.S. reindustrialization depends heavily on the availability of low cost and clean baseload power. However, our country’s ability to scale nuclear power is one of the most critical challenges of our time,” Reichow said. “The Nuclear Company is taking a disciplined, scalable approach to nuclear construction — one that mirrors the industrialization and rapid scaling we’ve seen in other sectors like automotive and aerospace. Eclipse is thrilled to support this team as they execute on their ambitious mission.”

Despite growing demand for clean energy, nuclear development in the U.S. has lagged. While China has commissioned dozens of new reactors in recent years, the U.S. has added only two, and currently has none under construction.

“America’s longstanding leadership in nuclear power is threatening to slip away,” said Jonathan Webb, co-founder and CEO of The Nuclear Company. “China has built 37 reactors in the past decade, with 30 more under construction and another 80 expected in the next 10 years. In that time, America has built only two reactors, with none under construction. We can’t stand to lose nuclear and its technology development like we lost manufacturing and all of its jobs. Beyond that, AI and the electrification of everything need nuclear’s firm, clean baseload power. The Nuclear Company is coming to South Carolina to show how we can meet these challenges and continue to grow both employment and the American economy at large.”

The Nuclear Company’s approach centers on a “design-once, build-many” methodology, leveraging licensed reactor designs and AI-enabled construction management to streamline project delivery. The company is currently evaluating sites to support a planned 6-gigawatt reactor fleet and says its methods could dramatically reduce both costs and delays—issues that have long plagued the industry.

Originally reported by Business Wire.