Hadron Energy Announces NRC Acceptance of Quality Assurance Program Description for Future Manufacturing License Applications, a First for a Light-Water Microreactor

REDWOOD CITY, CA — June 4, 2026 — Hadron Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:HDRN) ("Hadron Energy" or the "Company"), an advanced nuclear technology company, today announced that the staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued a final safety evaluation finding Revision 3 of the Company's Topical Report (TR), "Hadron Energy, Inc. Quality Assurance Program Description" (QAPD), acceptable for referencing in its future licensing applications under 10 CFR Part 52.

The NRC staff's final safety evaluation concludes that Hadron Energy's QAPD complies with applicable NRC regulations and industry standards in support of a future 10 CFR Part 52 application. The acceptance establishes a vetted quality assurance framework spanning the full life cycle of the Hadron Micro-Modular Reactor — including design, manufacturing, construction, operations, and decommissioning — and reflects Hadron Energy's integrated role as designer, manufacturer, and owner-operator.

While it is not a license to construct or operate a reactor, and it does not constitute NRC review, approval, or certification of the Hadron Micro-Modular Reactor design, the NRC’s acceptance of the Topical Report is a foundational, programmatic regulatory milestone. Furthermore, Hadron Energy is the first light-water microreactor company to receive acceptance by the NRC of QAPD.

A rigorous quality assurance program is foundational to the safe and reliable deployment of nuclear technology. By establishing an NRC-vetted quality framework at the pre-application stage, Hadron Energy is instituting the disciplined design, manufacturing, construction, and operational controls that underpin nuclear safety from the outset. The QAPD applies a graded, lifecycle-wide approach in which the level of control for any item or activity is commensurate with its safety significance, reinforcing Hadron Energy's commitment to building and operating its reactors to rigorous, independently reviewed industry quality standards, including ASME NQA-1-2022.

"The NRC staff's acceptance of our Quality Assurance Program Description is a critical milestone for Hadron Energy and the development of our Micro-Modular Reactor," said Sam Gibson, Founder andChief Executive Officer of Hadron Energy. "A quality assurance program that the NRC staff finds acceptable provides a vetted foundation that we can reference as we advance our licensing strategy, helping reduce duplicative review of previously accepted material in future applications, and most importantly provide the confidence to the company’s conceptual reactor design framework as we move toward the first of a kind deployment.”

Standardizing Future Licensing Pathways

Hadron Energy’s QAPD addresses the full lifecycle of the Hadron Micro-Modular Reactor. The program is based on Appendix B to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50 and commits to nuclear industry quality standards, including ASME NQA-1-2022, as endorsed by NRC Regulatory Guide 1.28, Revision 6.

Consistent with standard NRC practice, the NRC staff has requested that Hadron Energy publish the accepted version of the Topical Report within three months of its receipt of the NRC's notification, which Hadron Energy will do. This publicly accessible version will incorporate the NRC's correspondence and final safety evaluation and will carry the official "-A" (designated accepted) suffix following the report identification number.

With the QAPD accepted by the NRC staff, Hadron Energy may cite the accepted program in subsequent licensing applications under 10 CFR Part 52, including a Combined License (COL) or a Manufacturing License, to the extent specified and subject to the limitations and conditions in the safety evaluation. Referencing previously accepted material is intended to avoid repetitive NRC review of that material in future applications.

See the full press release here: BusinessWire