ONE Nuclear Energy to Become Public Company Through Business Combination With Hennessy Capital...

ONE Nuclear Energy LLC, an independent developer of hybrid natural-gas and advanced nuclear power plants, today announced that it has entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII (NASDAQ: HVII), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company. The transaction values ONE Nuclear at approximately $1 billion on an equity basis and is expected to provide up to $210 million in gross proceeds to fund the company’s development pipeline.

Upon closing, the combined company will be named ONE Nuclear Energy Inc. and is expected to list on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol “ONEN.” The transaction is anticipated to close in the first half of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

ONE Nuclear is developing a portfolio of large-scale energy parks combining near-term natural-gas generation with long-term small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear capacity. The company plans to bring 2 gigawatts of natural-gas generation online by 2028, followed by 3 GW of advanced nuclear capacity by 2034.

“We’re building baseload power for the AI economy,” said Richard Taylor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ONE Nuclear Energy. “Explosive data-center and AI power demand requires reliable energy now. Natural gas offers the fastest route to delivery, and our transition to nuclear ensures enduring, zero-carbon baseload capacity for decades to come.”

The company’s first two priority sites are located in East Texas and Oklahoma, where it intends to deliver its initial 2 GW of gas generation capacity. ONE Nuclear has also identified a broader U.S. development pipeline totaling up to 15 GW of combined gas and nuclear projects by 2032. ONE Nuclear has executed a supply agreement with Rolls-Royce plc for gas-powered reciprocating engines to support early-stage operations and is evaluating multiple advanced-reactor vendors for its future SMR fleet.

The company has also established strategic partnerships with Black & Veatch for engineering, procurement, and construction services, and with Futureworx for program management. ONE Nuclear’s customer strategy focuses on data-center operators, industrial users, and utilities seeking reliable, high-capacity power solutions.The proposed business combination with Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII is expected to provide:

• Up to $195 million of cash currently held in HVII's trust account (subject to redemptions)
   
• Additional PIPE financing expected to bring total gross proceeds to approximately $210 million
   
• A combined pro-forma equity value of roughly $1 billion

The proceeds will support ONE Nuclear’s development of its first two U.S. energy parks, initial gas installations, and long-lead procurement for its future SMR nuclear program.

About ONE Nuclear Energy LLC

ONE Nuclear Energy LLC is an independent power developer focused on building and operating large-scale energy parks that integrate natural-gas generation and advanced small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear technologies. The company’s develop-own-operate model provides near-term revenue from fast-track gas projects and long-term value creation from next-generation nuclear energy. ONE Nuclear is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

About Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII

Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII (NASDAQ: HVII) is a publicly listed special purpose acquisition company focused on sustainable infrastructure, energy transition, and industrial technology opportunities.

At the tiem of publishing, Stocks.News does not hold positions in companies mentioned in the article.