Nuclear Barges Arrive at Port of Long Beach with $10 Million in Funding

Bluecore Energy has set up its headquarters at the Port of Long Beach in California after raising $10 million in pre-seed funding. The startup is building nuclear reactors on barges, a concept that may seem unconventional given California's history with nuclear power.

The company's compact reactor design is a 10 MWe water-cooled small modular reactor mounted on a floating barge, capable of generating enough electricity to power approximately 15,000 homes. This would represent the first new nuclear power development in California in about 50 years if it clears the regulatory gauntlet.

The deal with Long Beach and the federal government involves joint efforts with the US Coast Guard and the Department of Energy to establish safety and operational standards for floating nuclear power. The partnership grew out of a Request for Information issued by MARAD regarding US-built commercial SMRs in May 2026.