Mini-nuclear power plant: Terrapower breaks ground in Wyoming
Terrapower, a company financed by Bill Gates, is starting to build a sodium-cooled nuclear power plant. However, the building permit is still pending.
This is what the mini-nuclear power plant in Wyoming will probably look like in 2030.
(Image: Terrapower)
Terrapower, a company financed by Bill Gates, is now implementing its concept of a sodium-cooled Small Modular Reactor. Ground has now been broken for the demonstration project at a former coal-fired power plant near the small town of Kemmerer in the US state of Wyoming. Approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is still pending, but the Bechtel Corporation (NRC), which is to build the mini-nuclear power plant, considers it a success that the authority accepted the application for planning permission in May. This is therefore the first review of a new reactor design by the NRC.
Thedecision on the location of the Terrapower project was made three years ago. 1600 employees are to build a nuclear power plant developed together with GE Hitachi with a basic output of 345 MW, which will be able to generate up to 500 MW at times and supply 400,000 households with electricity. Ultimately, 250 people are to be employed at the site.
"Most advanced nuclear project in the world"
Sodium is used as a coolant instead of water. This means that the containment, redundant safety systems and cooling water circulation required in water-cooled reactors can be dispensed with and less concrete and steel is needed, explained Bechtel. Uranium in combination with plutonium or other transuranium elements can be used as fuel for such reactors. Bill Gates, who was present at the ground-breaking ceremony, spoke of the "most advanced nuclear project in the world".
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US President Joe Biden is aiming for the USA to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. As energy demand in the USA is likely to continue to rise at the same time, new generation capacity of around 22 GW will be required by 2030 alone. At the 2023 World Climate Conference, the USA also joined around 20 other countries in the Net-Zero Nuclear Initiative, which aims to triple nuclear generation capacity by 2050. In addition to renewable energies, the USA is also focusing on the development of SMRs. The US Department of Energy is promoting two new reactor types, one from Terrapower and one from X-energy. The Atomic Energy Advancement Act passed by the US House of Representatives is currently before the US Senate. Among other things, it provides for the NRC to license and regulate reactor projects more efficiently.
(anw)
