What could be a huge move forward for a type of advanced nuclear reactor technology, and possibly nuclear-powered microgrids of the future, is closer to starting its journey at a small private university in a historic Texas cattle drive hub community.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) informed Natura Resources that it expects to complete a safety assessment and issue a construction permit early this fall for the company’s first deployed project. Natura Resources plans to locate the advanced and unique molten salt reactor at Abilene Christian University (ACU).

The campus is home to the newly opened Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing (NEXT) Laboratory. Once completed and if commissioned, the Natura reactor project would be operated at low power for research purposes.

The NRC could issue the permit by Sept. 30, according to reports. The commission oversees non-power research reactors as well as all of the 90-plus commercial reactors in operation across the U.S.