Viaro Energy is assessing where it could deploy Terrestrial Energy's Integral Molten Salt Reactor technology across the UK and international markets, under a memorandum of understanding the two companies signed in 2024. The London-based independent oil and gas producer said the partnership is now weighing regulatory, economic, policy and siting questions to identify potential locations and commercial uses, including clean, firm power for AI data centers and other energy-intensive industrial facilities.
A consortium built to define industrial demand first
Viaro is among the UK independent operators that support advanced nuclear energy as a route to lower carbon footprints, alongside the Industrial Advanced Nuclear Consortium formed last year, whose founding members include major companies from the oil and gas, mining and steel sectors. The consortium is examining how advanced nuclear could supply process heat and electricity to large industrial users in offshore energy, refining, petrochemicals and energy-intensive manufacturing.
The consortium recently published a report naming four scenarios with the greatest potential: maritime heat and power; nuclear cogeneration for refining, petrochemicals and LNG; remote power and heat for oil and gas and mining; and electricity-intensive industrial loads. The report frames the goal as deploying modular nuclear at scales ranging from remote, off-grid operations to large industrial hubs, delivering baseload energy while cutting exposure to volatile fuel costs and grid instability. Rather than leave reactor developers to design in isolation, the consortium wants industrial end users to define what they need from advanced nuclear, with the aim of making it viable for industrial projects by 2030.
Gas has covered this load until now
Oil and gas companies have typically met their own energy needs with the commodities they sell, and gas has supplied the heat and electricity for refineries, petrochemical plants and offshore platforms because it has been reliable. The International Atomic Energy Agency has said full decarbonization of energy-intensive industries such as chemicals, petrochemicals, cement and paper and pulp would need a far greater supply of clean heat and electricity, and that intermittent renewables would require a grid expansion large enough to affect stability and raise system and firming costs, factors it says are "not aligned with the energy requirements of industry."
Advanced nuclear produces no CO2 emissions during operation and has one of the lowest lifecycle carbon footprints among power sources. The consortium's report says developments in small modular reactors and micro modular reactors could turn modular nuclear into a viable, low-carbon option sited near industrial users, with the grid and renewables playing a complementary role. Houston-based SMR developer ZettaJoule has said it is designing its first commercial reactor to provide heat and power to oil and gas operations and has cited an oil refinery as a potential site.
Viaro's chief executive on the reasoning
Francesco Mazzagatti, founder and chief executive of Viaro Energy, said advanced nuclear has "the potential to transform the relationship between energy production and industrial demand." He said its ability to provide continuous, low-carbon power makes it compelling for sectors where "reliability, scale and energy security are non-negotiable." Viaro holds working interests representing up to 9% of UK gas production on a gross basis at peak production, according to the firm.
Mazzagatti said the Terrestrial Energy work sits alongside Viaro's existing collaboration with its operating joint-venture partners on environmental performance and emissions reduction. He described the strategy as combining what the company can do now with "the technologies that could reshape the energy market tomorrow." That exploration extends beyond established industries to rapidly growing sources of demand such as AI data centers, he said.
