WATCH LIVE: DOE Secretary visits Idaho Falls for Nuclear Energy event

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Energy leaders, government officials, and community members are gathering at the Mountain America Center for “A Celebration of the Golden Era of Nuclear Power: Unleashing America’s Nuclear Renaissance.”

The event features a keynote address from U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright, highlighting the growing momentum behind the nation's next generation of nuclear energy.

"It is fitting that on the eve of our nation's 250th anniversary, we are witnessing a historic moment for American energy," Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a statement. "For the first time in more than four decades, a new privately developed non-light-water reactor has reached criticality in the United States."

Local News 8 will be streaming the entire event live. You can watch the broadcast right here on our website or through our streaming app starting at 12:30 p.m.

Criticality is the point at which a nuclear reactor can sustain a controlled nuclear chain reaction, marking a key step toward future electricity production.

Officials say the demonstration validates the reactor's design and establishes the foundation for future commercial reactors that could begin producing electricity as early as 2027 after additional testing and licensing.

The achievement comes about six months after Wright visited Idaho National Laboratory, where he outlined the Trump administration's goal of quadrupling U.S. nuclear power generation and highlighted INL's role in helping lead the nation's nuclear expansion.

The Mark-0 reactor is the first advanced reactor expected to reach criticality under the Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot Program, which aims to accelerate the testing and deployment of next-generation nuclear technology.

As the 53rd reactor built at Idaho National Laboratory since 1951, the Mark-0 joins a long history of research reactors that have helped shape the nation's commercial nuclear industry.

DOE officials say the reactor demonstration will help inform future commercial reactor designs, with potential applications ranging from military installations to remote communities and even future space missions.