{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"168934","rtpr_id":"nGNX7sWqLK-20261014","ticker":"NWCL","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["NWCL","NWCLW"],"title":"newcleo Inaugurates Advanced Nuclear Fuel Engineering and Testing Center in France, Furthering the Industrial Deployment of its MOX Fuel Program.","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-10-14T12:30:00.425Z","article_body":"The €10 million FASTER center provides a dedicated non-nuclear environment\nto develop, test and qualify technologies, equipment and processes for future\nMOX fuel manufacturing operations.\n\nSeven test facilities are operating at the site, covering key stages of the\nfuel manufacturing process, from powder dosing and pellet pressing to fuel pin\nassembly and quality inspection.\n\nBy enabling the validation and optimization of manufacturing processes ahead\nof industrial deployment, FASTER represents a key milestone in de-risking\nnewcleo’s advanced MOX fuel program and supports the development of the\nCompany’s planned fuel manufacturing facilities.\n\nPARIS, Oct. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- newcleo plc (“newcleo” or the\n“Company”) (NASDAQ: NWCL), a pioneer in advanced modular reactor\n(“AMR”) technology and nuclear fuel manufacturing, today inaugurated\nFASTER (Fuel process Assembly Storage Training and Enhanced Reality), its\nadvanced nuclear fuel engineering, testing and training center located in\nChusclan, in the Occitanie region of southern France.\n\nRepresenting an investment of around €10 million, FASTER provides advanced\nengineering, prototype testing and immersive training capabilities to\nnewcleo’s fuel team, which comprises around 100 engineers and highly\nqualified specialists.\n\nSimilar to the Lead-cooled Fast Reactor Development and Qualification program\ndeveloped by newcleo at the ENEA Brasimone Research Center, the facilities\ninstalled at FASTER will support the de-risking and continuous improvement of\nnewcleo’s MOX fuel manufacturing technology.\n\nStefano Buono, Founder and CEO of newcleo, said: “FASTER is an important\nmilestone in the industrial execution of our fuel strategy. By providing a\ndedicated environment to develop, test and qualify technologies before their\ndeployment in licensed facilities, FASTER significantly de-risks our future\nMOX manufacturing program and accelerates our path towards industrialization\nin France and the United States. The center is a testament to our development\nmodel: highly skilled teams, real equipment and industrial partners\ntransforming research and engineering into the facilities we intend to build.\nBy developing our fuel program from within the established French nuclear\nindustry, we are building capabilities to enable a closed nuclear fuel cycle\nand deploy the next generation of nuclear energy globally.”\n\nLocated near the Marcoule nuclear site, FASTER offers a dedicated, non-nuclear\nenvironment in which to develop, test and qualify technologies and\nmanufacturing processes ahead of their future deployment in MOX fuel\nfacilities.\n\nThe center is designed around a practical “test and learn” approach,\nbringing engineering and physical testing closer together. Concepts developed\nby newcleo’s teams are translated into prototypes and test mock-ups at\nFASTER, tested under representative conditions and progressively refined,\nhelping accelerate their path towards industrial deployment.\n\nSeven test facilities are already operational at FASTER, with further\ninstallations under development. These facilities address different stages and\nchallenges of MOX fuel manufacturing, including powder dosing optimization,\nglovebox ergonomics, pellet handling, fuel pin assembly and decontamination,\npellet inspection and helium filling.\n\nLocated in the heart of one of France’s key nuclear supply-chain regions,\nFASTER draws on expertise from across the country’s industrial and nuclear\nsectors. It also benefits from the specialist capabilities of newcleo’s\nsubsidiary S.R.S. Servizi di Ricerche e Sviluppo and French nuclear-grade\nscales and precision weighting equipment manufacturer Bonifait Pesage, whose\nacquisition by newcleo is expected to close in Q4 2026.\n\nnewcleo aims to fabricate MOX nuclear fuel, a proven nuclear fuel manufactured\nfrom a mixture of uranium and plutonium oxides that has been used in\ncommercial reactors for decades, to power its Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs)\nand other potential third party off-takers. When used in fast reactors, like\nnewcleo’s LFRs, MOX enables the multi-recycling of nuclear fuel in what is\nknown as a “closed fuel cycle”. This circular approach to nuclear fuel can\nextract more energy from the same amount of natural uranium compared to\ntraditional once-through fuel cycles in thermal reactors, while at the same\ntime significantly reducing the volume and radioactivity of nuclear waste.\n\nnewcleo has proposed the deployment of an advanced MOX fuel fabrication\nfacility in France in the Aube department, near Nogent-sur-Seine, to\nmanufacture fuel for its future European reactors. The project reached an\nimportant regulatory milestone in July 2026, when the French Nuclear Safety\nand Radiation Protection Authority (Autorité de sûreté nucléaire et de\nradioprotection – “ASNR”) issued an overall satisfactory evaluation for\nthe proposed safety options, offering practical feedback to continue\ndeveloping the facility’s safety features ahead of a planned construction\nlicense application in France.\n\nAs newcleo furthers its pre-licensing engagement with the U.S. Nuclear\nRegulatory Commission, the Company plans to adopt the ASNR feedback and\nrecommendations to also strengthen and streamline its licensing strategy for\nthe U.S. market.\n\nAbout newcleo\n\nnewcleo is an innovative nuclear technology company developing advanced\nmodular reactors and nuclear fuel designed to deliver clean, safe and\nsustainable energy at competitive costs. newcleo's technology combines\nlead-cooled fast reactors with fuel manufactured from recycled nuclear\nmaterials, with the aim of providing abundant and reliable electricity and\nheat to industrial users while enabling the closure of the nuclear fuel cycle.\nnewcleo brings together more than 900 highly skilled employees across Europe\nand the United States, spanning reactor and fuel design, engineering, and\nmanufacturing. Through a vertically integrated supply chain and a growing\nnetwork of strategic partnerships, newcleo is working to turn proven\nscientific and engineering solutions into deployable nuclear energy assets.\nFor more information visit. For more information visit www.newcleo.com\n\nFor media enquiries\n\nnewcleo press office \nmedia@newcleo.com\n\nEuropean media enquiries \nnewcleo@brunswickgroup.com\n\nFor investors\nnewcleo@icrinc.com\n\nForward-Looking Statements\n\nThis press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the\nmeaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. All statements contained in this\npress release other than statements of historical fact, including, without\nlimitation, statements regarding the completed business combination between\nNewHold Investment Corp III and newcleo; the anticipated benefits of the\ntransaction; expected trading of the combined company’s securities on\nNasdaq; the completion of investments from certain institutional investors;\nthe expected amount of gross proceeds from any investments or other financing\narrangements; the anticipated use of proceeds from such investments or\nfinancing arrangements; newcleo's development and commercialization of its\nlead-cooled fast reactor technology, mixed-oxide fuel capabilities and related\nproducts and services; the expected timing, cost, performance and benefits of\nnewcleo's demonstration projects, fuel facilities, reactor deployments and\nlicensing activities; newcleo's ability to execute its business strategy,\ndevelop its technology, obtain required regulatory approvals, permits and\nlicenses, enter into commercial arrangements, achieve its market opportunity\nand positioning and support the growth of advanced nuclear energy; newcleo's\nexpectations regarding strategic partnerships, customer demand, project\npipeline, revenue streams, capital expenditures and financing needs; and other\nstatements regarding management's intentions, beliefs, or expectations with\nrespect to newcleo's future performance, are forward-looking statements.\nForward-looking statements are often identified by the use of words such as\n\"anticipate,\" \"believe,\" \"continue,\" \"could,\" \"develop,\" \"estimate,\" \"expect,\"\n\"intend,\" \"may,\" \"might,\" \"plan,\" \"potential,\" \"predict,\" \"project,\" \"seek,\"\n\"should,\" \"target,\" \"will,\" \"would,\" and similar expressions, but the absence\nof these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These\nforward-looking statements are based on newcleo's current expectations and\nassumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual\nresults to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such\nforward-looking statements. You should carefully consider the foregoing\nfactors and the other risks and uncertainties described in other documents\nfiled from time to time by newcleo with the U.S. Securities and Exchange\nCommission. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known or that are\ncurrently deemed immaterial may also cause actual results to differ materially\nfrom those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers\nare cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and\nnewcleo does not assume any obligation or intend to update or revise these\nforward-looking statements, each of which is made only as of the date of this\npress release.\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/52d47424-fffd-4350-8392-c23f357f1f77)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNX7sWqLK-20261014","title":"newcleo Inaugurates Advanced Nuclear Fuel Engineering and Testing Center in France, Furthering the Industrial Deployment of its MOX Fuel Program.","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"NWCL","created":"2026-10-14T12:30:00.425Z","tickers":["NWCL","NWCLW"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"The €10 million FASTER center provides a dedicated non-nuclear environment\nto develop, test and qualify technologies, equipment and processes for future\nMOX fuel manufacturing operations.\n\nSeven test facilities are operating at the site, covering key stages of the\nfuel manufacturing process, from powder dosing and pellet pressing to fuel pin\nassembly and quality inspection.\n\nBy enabling the validation and optimization of manufacturing processes ahead\nof industrial deployment, FASTER represents a key milestone in de-risking\nnewcleo’s advanced MOX fuel program and supports the development of the\nCompany’s planned fuel manufacturing facilities.\n\nPARIS, Oct. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- newcleo plc (“newcleo” or the\n“Company”) (NASDAQ: NWCL), a pioneer in advanced modular reactor\n(“AMR”) technology and nuclear fuel manufacturing, today inaugurated\nFASTER (Fuel process Assembly Storage Training and Enhanced Reality), its\nadvanced nuclear fuel engineering, testing and training center located in\nChusclan, in the Occitanie region of southern France.\n\nRepresenting an investment of around €10 million, FASTER provides advanced\nengineering, prototype testing and immersive training capabilities to\nnewcleo’s fuel team, which comprises around 100 engineers and highly\nqualified specialists.\n\nSimilar to the Lead-cooled Fast Reactor Development and Qualification program\ndeveloped by newcleo at the ENEA Brasimone Research Center, the facilities\ninstalled at FASTER will support the de-risking and continuous improvement of\nnewcleo’s MOX fuel manufacturing technology.\n\nStefano Buono, Founder and CEO of newcleo, said: “FASTER is an important\nmilestone in the industrial execution of our fuel strategy. By providing a\ndedicated environment to develop, test and qualify technologies before their\ndeployment in licensed facilities, FASTER significantly de-risks our future\nMOX manufacturing program and accelerates our path towards industrialization\nin France and the United States. The center is a testament to our development\nmodel: highly skilled teams, real equipment and industrial partners\ntransforming research and engineering into the facilities we intend to build.\nBy developing our fuel program from within the established French nuclear\nindustry, we are building capabilities to enable a closed nuclear fuel cycle\nand deploy the next generation of nuclear energy globally.”\n\nLocated near the Marcoule nuclear site, FASTER offers a dedicated, non-nuclear\nenvironment in which to develop, test and qualify technologies and\nmanufacturing processes ahead of their future deployment in MOX fuel\nfacilities.\n\nThe center is designed around a practical “test and learn” approach,\nbringing engineering and physical testing closer together. Concepts developed\nby newcleo’s teams are translated into prototypes and test mock-ups at\nFASTER, tested under representative conditions and progressively refined,\nhelping accelerate their path towards industrial deployment.\n\nSeven test facilities are already operational at FASTER, with further\ninstallations under development. These facilities address different stages and\nchallenges of MOX fuel manufacturing, including powder dosing optimization,\nglovebox ergonomics, pellet handling, fuel pin assembly and decontamination,\npellet inspection and helium filling.\n\nLocated in the heart of one of France’s key nuclear supply-chain regions,\nFASTER draws on expertise from across the country’s industrial and nuclear\nsectors. It also benefits from the specialist capabilities of newcleo’s\nsubsidiary S.R.S. Servizi di Ricerche e Sviluppo and French nuclear-grade\nscales and precision weighting equipment manufacturer Bonifait Pesage, whose\nacquisition by newcleo is expected to close in Q4 2026.\n\nnewcleo aims to fabricate MOX nuclear fuel, a proven nuclear fuel manufactured\nfrom a mixture of uranium and plutonium oxides that has been used in\ncommercial reactors for decades, to power its Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs)\nand other potential third party off-takers. When used in fast reactors, like\nnewcleo’s LFRs, MOX enables the multi-recycling of nuclear fuel in what is\nknown as a “closed fuel cycle”. This circular approach to nuclear fuel can\nextract more energy from the same amount of natural uranium compared to\ntraditional once-through fuel cycles in thermal reactors, while at the same\ntime significantly reducing the volume and radioactivity of nuclear waste.\n\nnewcleo has proposed the deployment of an advanced MOX fuel fabrication\nfacility in France in the Aube department, near Nogent-sur-Seine, to\nmanufacture fuel for its future European reactors. The project reached an\nimportant regulatory milestone in July 2026, when the French Nuclear Safety\nand Radiation Protection Authority (Autorité de sûreté nucléaire et de\nradioprotection – “ASNR”) issued an overall satisfactory evaluation for\nthe proposed safety options, offering practical feedback to continue\ndeveloping the facility’s safety features ahead of a planned construction\nlicense application in France.\n\nAs newcleo furthers its pre-licensing engagement with the U.S. Nuclear\nRegulatory Commission, the Company plans to adopt the ASNR feedback and\nrecommendations to also strengthen and streamline its licensing strategy for\nthe U.S. market.\n\nAbout newcleo\n\nnewcleo is an innovative nuclear technology company developing advanced\nmodular reactors and nuclear fuel designed to deliver clean, safe and\nsustainable energy at competitive costs. newcleo's technology combines\nlead-cooled fast reactors with fuel manufactured from recycled nuclear\nmaterials, with the aim of providing abundant and reliable electricity and\nheat to industrial users while enabling the closure of the nuclear fuel cycle.\nnewcleo brings together more than 900 highly skilled employees across Europe\nand the United States, spanning reactor and fuel design, engineering, and\nmanufacturing. Through a vertically integrated supply chain and a growing\nnetwork of strategic partnerships, newcleo is working to turn proven\nscientific and engineering solutions into deployable nuclear energy assets.\nFor more information visit. For more information visit www.newcleo.com\n\nFor media enquiries\n\nnewcleo press office \nmedia@newcleo.com\n\nEuropean media enquiries \nnewcleo@brunswickgroup.com\n\nFor investors\nnewcleo@icrinc.com\n\nForward-Looking Statements\n\nThis press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the\nmeaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. All statements contained in this\npress release other than statements of historical fact, including, without\nlimitation, statements regarding the completed business combination between\nNewHold Investment Corp III and newcleo; the anticipated benefits of the\ntransaction; expected trading of the combined company’s securities on\nNasdaq; the completion of investments from certain institutional investors;\nthe expected amount of gross proceeds from any investments or other financing\narrangements; the anticipated use of proceeds from such investments or\nfinancing arrangements; newcleo's development and commercialization of its\nlead-cooled fast reactor technology, mixed-oxide fuel capabilities and related\nproducts and services; the expected timing, cost, performance and benefits of\nnewcleo's demonstration projects, fuel facilities, reactor deployments and\nlicensing activities; newcleo's ability to execute its business strategy,\ndevelop its technology, obtain required regulatory approvals, permits and\nlicenses, enter into commercial arrangements, achieve its market opportunity\nand positioning and support the growth of advanced nuclear energy; newcleo's\nexpectations regarding strategic partnerships, customer demand, project\npipeline, revenue streams, capital expenditures and financing needs; and other\nstatements regarding management's intentions, beliefs, or expectations with\nrespect to newcleo's future performance, are forward-looking statements.\nForward-looking statements are often identified by the use of words such as\n\"anticipate,\" \"believe,\" \"continue,\" \"could,\" \"develop,\" \"estimate,\" \"expect,\"\n\"intend,\" \"may,\" \"might,\" \"plan,\" \"potential,\" \"predict,\" \"project,\" \"seek,\"\n\"should,\" \"target,\" \"will,\" \"would,\" and similar expressions, but the absence\nof these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These\nforward-looking statements are based on newcleo's current expectations and\nassumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual\nresults to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such\nforward-looking statements. You should carefully consider the foregoing\nfactors and the other risks and uncertainties described in other documents\nfiled from time to time by newcleo with the U.S. Securities and Exchange\nCommission. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known or that are\ncurrently deemed immaterial may also cause actual results to differ materially\nfrom those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers\nare cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and\nnewcleo does not assume any obligation or intend to update or revise these\nforward-looking statements, each of which is made only as of the date of this\npress release.\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/52d47424-fffd-4350-8392-c23f357f1f77)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-10-14T12:30:00.500738581Z","server_sent_at_ms":1791981000500},"received_at":"2026-10-14T12:30:00.556Z","source_url":null},"analysis":{"id":"157184","press_release_id":"168934","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Electric Utilities","sector":"Utilities"},"redFlags":["all milestones remain pre-revenue; commercialization timeline depends on future licensing approvals (construction license application still pending in France, pre-licensing only in the U.S.)"],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"newcleo inaugurated its FASTER advanced nuclear fuel engineering, testing and training center in Chusclan, southern France, representing an investment of around €10 million.\n\nSeven test facilities are already operational, covering key MOX fuel manufacturing stages from powder dosing and pellet pressing to fuel pin assembly and quality inspection, supporting a fuel team of around 100 engineers.\n\nThe company frames FASTER as a de-risking step toward industrial MOX fuel facilities in France and the U.S., following a satisfactory ASNR safety-options evaluation in July 2026 and ongoing pre-licensing engagement with the U.S. NRC.\n\nThe release also notes newcleo's pending acquisition of French precision-weighing equipment maker Bonifait Pesage, expected to close in Q4 2026.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Incremental industrial-execution progress on newcleo's MOX fuel strategy ahead of planned French fuel facility licensing."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"investment":"€10 million","employees_total":"more than 900","fuel_team_engineers":"around 100","test_facilities_operational":7}},"quotedText":"FASTER significantly de-risks our future MOX manufacturing program and accelerates our path towards industrialization in France and the United States.","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Stefano Buono","role":"Founder and CEO of newcleo"}],"products":["FASTER center","MOX fuel","Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs)"],"companies":[{"name":"newcleo plc","ticker":"NWCL","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"S.R.S. Servizi di Ricerche e Sviluppo","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"Bonifait Pesage","relationship":"acquisition target (expected to close Q4 2026)"},{"name":"ENEA Brasimone Research Center","relationship":"referenced research program"},{"name":"Autorité de sûreté nucléaire et de radioprotection (ASNR)","relationship":"French nuclear regulator"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"€10 million","context":"investment in the FASTER testing center"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":2,"reasoning":"Inauguration of a €10M non-nuclear testing facility that de-risks the MOX fuel program is a genuine industrial milestone, but it changes no financials, guidance, or regulatory status and is largely incremental to previously disclosed plans."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"NWCL"},"globalImportance":22,"audienceRelevance":15,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"recent-Nasdaq-debut small/mid-cap","eventGravity":"facility inauguration / milestone, no financials or regulatory decisions","sectorWeight":"advanced nuclear -- niche but topical","householdBrandBoost":0}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":2,"narrative":"newcleo inaugurated its FASTER advanced nuclear fuel engineering, testing and training center in Chusclan, southern France, representing an investment of around €10 million.\n\nSeven test facilities are already operational, covering key MOX fuel manufacturing stages from powder dosing and pellet pressing to fuel pin assembly and quality inspection, supporting a fuel team of around 100 engineers.\n\nThe company frames FASTER as a de-risking step toward industrial MOX fuel facilities in France and the U.S., following a satisfactory ASNR safety-options evaluation in July 2026 and ongoing pre-licensing engagement with the U.S. NRC.\n\nThe release also notes newcleo's pending acquisition of French precision-weighing equipment maker Bonifait Pesage, expected to close in Q4 2026.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"investment":"€10 million","employees_total":"more than 900","fuel_team_engineers":"around 100","test_facilities_operational":7}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Stefano Buono","role":"Founder and CEO of newcleo"}],"products":["FASTER center","MOX fuel","Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs)"],"companies":[{"name":"newcleo plc","ticker":"NWCL","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"S.R.S. Servizi di Ricerche e Sviluppo","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"Bonifait Pesage","relationship":"acquisition target (expected to close Q4 2026)"},{"name":"ENEA Brasimone Research Center","relationship":"referenced research program"},{"name":"Autorité de sûreté nucléaire et de radioprotection (ASNR)","relationship":"French nuclear regulator"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"€10 million","context":"investment in the FASTER testing center"}]},"model_name":"glm-5.3-flashx","prompt_hash":"sha256:5c812bd9e28b810d","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-10-14T12:30:11.609Z","global_importance":22,"audience_relevance":15,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"recent-Nasdaq-debut small/mid-cap","eventGravity":"facility inauguration / milestone, no financials or regulatory decisions","sectorWeight":"advanced nuclear -- niche but topical","householdBrandBoost":0}},"durationMs":6027,"modelName":"glm-5.3-flashx"}}