The very-high temperature modular reactor could attract $1B in research funding for Texas A&M Engineering. Read online

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Feb. 26, 2026 — The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has signed an agreement with ZettaJoule, an advanced small modular reactor company with operations in the U.S. and Japan, to explore building a transformative research reactor in College Station, Texas. 

The project has the potential to catalyze up to $1 billion in research collaborations, industrial partnerships and federal funding over the next decade, positioning Texas A&M Engineering as the national hub for high-temperature gas reactor innovation. 

ZettaJoule would build its ZJ0 reactor, an innovative high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that may provide process heat at temperatures up to 950 degrees Celsius (1,742 degrees Fahrenheit). The reactor’s advanced technology is based on decades of safe proven operations at Japan’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor.

Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar emphasized the project’s role in the state’s energy future.

“Texas has always powered this country, and the Texas A&M University System is helping power what comes next,” he said. “We’re advancing research, training the workforce, and building partnerships that keep safety and transparency first. As AI and advanced manufacturing place new demands on the grid, our focus is clear – strengthen reliability, secure energy independence and create opportunity for Texans and the nation.”

With temperatures high enough for synthetic fuels, hydrogen, steelmaking, chemicals, desalination and data centers, the ZJ0 platform could unlock entirely new applied research pathways for industry.

“We have long been a national leader in nuclear engineering, and this partnership positions us to help drive the next era of high temperature reactor innovation,” Dr. Robert H. Bishop, Vice Chancellor and Dean of Texas A&M Engineering said. “This partnership strengthens our ability to support researchers and industry collaborators working at the forefront of next generation energy systems.”

Having the ZJ0 reactor could attract substantial research dollars from advanced materials companies, refiners, hyperscalers, and government agencies such as NASA and the Department of Energy.

“We are honored to partner with TEES and the Texas A&M University System, which are among the world’s greatest engineering institutions,” ZettaJoule Co-founder, President and CEO Mitsuo Shimofuji said. “Together, our U.S.-Japan collaboration will help shape the future of advanced reactors by modernizing high-temperature technology pioneered in Japan and pairing it with Texas leadership in energy innovation.”

ZettaJoule would build the ZJ0 reactor adjacent to the TEES Nuclear Engineering & Science Center in College Station where the agency already has two research reactors. The new reactor facility would be owned by TEES.

“This agreement is a pivotal milestone toward creating a unique platform for high-temperature process heat research in the U.S.,” ZettaJoule Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Harper said. “We’re excited to collaborate with TEES and the Texas A&M University System to explore how our reactor can deliver breakthrough energy solutions for academia, industry, and government agencies.”

The addition of the ZJ0 would make Texas A&M the only university in the U.S. with more than two nuclear research reactors on campus, reinforcing its position as one of the nation’s premier nuclear engineering programs.

By ZettaJoule

Established in 1876 as the state’s first public university, Texas A&M University is one of the largest universities in the nation yet remains grounded in its military roots and Aggie Core Values of Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service. As a research powerhouse and a land-, sea- and space-grant institution, Texas A&M seeks to solve the issues facing Texas, the nation and the world. Named by Fast Company Magazine as a Brand that Matters and one of the world’s Most Innovative Companies in 2025, Texas A&M counts seven Fortune 500 CEOs as former students and was named by The Wall Street Journal as the best in Texas and No. 11 public institution in the U.S. for 2025. Texas A&M was named the most recognized university in the state of Texas and No. 2 among all U.S. public universities in the latest Global University Visibility (GUV) rankings compiled by higher education research and consulting firm American Caldwell.