Subcritical Systems | Safer Nuclear Energy to Power America

Fast & Safe Nuclear Energy to Power America

Revolutionizing Accelerator Technology

About Us

Subcritical Systems is a company in Austin, Texas bringing the energy amplifier concept to the US to safely generate electrical power. Energy Amplifier consists of a particle accelerator to sustain fission of nuclear fuel in a subcritical core generating power. There is no potential for criticality in both normal operation and off-normal conditions.

Founding team of entrepreneurs that built companies with cutting edge technologies and scientists that have co-invented the concept. Financially backed and hiring now.

Technology

Advantages of Energy Amplifier Technology

Advantages of the Energy Amplifier/Accelerator Driven System (ADS)

Inherent Safety

since the particle accelerator provides a simple on-off switch for the fission process. The core can never reach criticality

since the particle accelerator provides a simple on-off switch for the fission process. The core can not reach criticality

Cheap Power

competes directly with natural gas on price

comparable to the price of gas as cheap to operate promoting clean energy

Team

We move faster, think outside of the box, hold ourselves to the highest standards of excellence and scientific rigor and cross hybridize from different fields.

If you have resilience, ambition, passion and work ethic and are interested in what we do, please get in touch as we are actively growing our team.

Careers

Join the Subcritical team and help pioneer fast, safe nuclear energy.

View open roles and apply today.

Join the Subcritical Systems team and help pioneer clean nuclear energy with accelerator-driven systems. View open roles and apply today.

See Open Positions

Whats New

Subcritical Systems Secures Clear Regulatory Path with U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Subcritical Systems achieved a major milestone by confirming with the NRC that its Energy Amplifier technology can be licensed under existing regulatory frameworks (10 CFR Part 70 and Part 30), eliminating the need for new rulemaking and significantly accelerating the path to commercialization. This regulatory clarity de-risks the timeline to market and validates the company's approach with federal authorities. The announcement follows productive engagement with NRC staff and legal guidance from former NRC Commissioner Jeff Merrifield, positioning Subcritical Systems to lead U.S. deployment of accelerator-driven subcritical nuclear energy systems while similar projects advance in Europe and China.

Jan 30, 2026

Subcritical Systems CTO Stuart Henderson to Present at The Advanced Reactors Summit XIII & Technology Trailblazers Showcase | February 10-12, 2026 - Seattle, WA

Stuart Henderson
Chief Technology Officer
Subcritical Systems

Stuart Henderson is Chief Technology Officer at Subcritical Systems, where he leads technology development for accelerator-driven, subcritical nuclear energy systems and the enabling superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) and accelerator technologies required to deliver them at scale.

Henderson brings decades of leadership experience from the U.S. national laboratory system and is widely recognized for his expertise in particle accelerators and high-performance scientific facilities. He previously served as Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), guiding the laboratory’s operations and long-range vision for world-leading nuclear physics research and advanced accelerator capabilities.

Prior to Jefferson Lab, Henderson led major accelerator initiatives across the DOE complex, including serving as Director of the Advanced Photon Source Upgrade Project at Argonne National Laboratory, Associate Laboratory Director for Accelerators at Fermilab, and holding senior roles at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Spallation Neutron Source, where he helped drive construction, commissioning, and the transition to successful high-power user operations.

He has contributed to national and international advisory bodies for large-scale accelerator facilities and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Henderson earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Vanderbilt University and a Ph.D. in Physics from Yale University.

Jan 30, 2026