Paragon vice president John Portillo (left) and Terra Innovatum partner and chief business development officer Giordano Morichi at the signing ceremony. (Photo: Paragon)
Paragon Energy Solutions has signed a memorandum of understanding with Terra Innovatum, a developer of micro-modular nuclear reactors, to support the design and integration of instrumentation and control systems for Terra’s Solo micro-modular reactor. Paragon is a provider of safety-related I&C systems for the nuclear energy community,
The MOU formalizes the collaboration to initiate the design integration and validation of the advanced I&C systems for the Solo reactor, as well as related manufacturing support for its global deployment. The agreement also lays the foundation for purchase orders, long-term service contracts, and commercial engagements to accelerate deployment and scale.
Design: Solo is designed to operate on low-enriched uranium and will be built using commercial off-the-shelf components, according to Terra Innovatum. This process will streamline regulatory review and shorten construction timelines, the company added.
Notes: In May, Terra Innovatum submitted an advanced nuclear proposal to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's Advanced Nuclear Request for Information, outlining plans for a potential reactor site, production facility, and deployments to address New York's 2040 zero-carbon goal.
Earlier this year, the company said it had submitted its regulatory engagement plan to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Quotable: “We engineered Solo for modular scalability and rapid commercialization, and this partnership with Paragon marks a critical first step toward our 2028 deployment timeline,” said Giordano Morichi, partner and chief business development officer with Terra Innovatum. “By aligning with established industry leaders like Paragon, we are not only integrating proven I&C and safety systems into our technology, we are also laying the foundation for a resilient, responsive supply chain across the U.S. and globally. Together, we're accelerating our mission to deliver low-cost, zero-carbon, and highly reliable energy to the places that need it most.”