Terrestrial Energy Inc. has submitted a Thermal and Electric Facility (TEF) Topical Report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The report seeks confirmation that the non-nuclear portion of the company’s Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) plant can be built and operated separately from, and before, its nuclear components.
The TEF houses generators and turbines. If the NRC confirms the proposed approach, the facility could be built as a conventional industrial project and potentially begin commercial service using an auxiliary heat source, such as natural gas, before nuclear operations start.
The report argues that the IMSR’s nuclear systems operate independently of the TEF for safety. If the NRC accepts the approach, it could reduce financing and construction risks and provide Terrestrial Energy and its partners with a clearer path to revenue.
This is the third topical report Terrestrial Energy has submitted to the NRC in 2026.