US NRC clears TerraPower to build
Change
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction approval allowing TerraPower to begin work at its Kemmerer, Wyoming site for its Natrium nuclear reactor.
Why it matters
The approval applies to a site in Kemmerer, Wyoming and allows construction work to begin there. The Natrium design is sodium-cooled, using liquid sodium for cooling and heat transfer, with primary coolant circulation at lower pressure than water-cooled reactors. The excerpt describes sodium as highly reactive when exposed to air or water. Natrium is a fast-neutron reactor and is described as able to consume some isotopes that would otherwise become radioactive waste in traditional designs. The plant is described as 345 megawatts and includes energy storage as part of its design.
Implications
- • On-site construction activity is authorized at the Kemmerer, Wyoming project location.
- • Reactor operation remains gated by a separate approval process.
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