US regulators have given the green light for the development of a new nuclear reactor in Wyoming, supported by Bill Gates. This marks the first commercial reactor permit issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in nearly ten years. The project, led by TerraPower, a startup founded by Bill Gates in 2015 and endorsed by Nvidia, will be situated near an aging coal power plant in Kemmerer. Construction is set to commence in the upcoming weeks, with operations slated to commence in the early 2030s, according to reports from Reuters and TechCrunch.
The Natrium reactor stands out from conventional nuclear plants in terms of scale and design. It is projected to produce 345 megawatts of power, significantly less than standard full-size reactors, but features an energy storage system that can temporarily increase output to 500 megawatts. Unlike typical water-cooled reactors, Natrium employs molten sodium for cooling, a feature that TerraPower asserts enhances safety.
This milestone signifies the first time in over four decades that the NRC has authorized a commercial reactor not utilizing regular water for cooling. The reactor will store surplus heat in sizable, insulated tanks of molten sodium, enabling it to address fluctuations in wind and solar power generation while maintaining lower operational expenses.
The reactor will be fueled by high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU, a type of fuel enriched to almost 20%, contrasting with the 5% enrichment level in traditional reactors. The sourcing of this fuel, usually done in Russia, has prompted concerns related to non-proliferation, with proponents advocating for enrichment restrictions to mitigate supply chain risks, as reported.
TerraPower is among various nuclear startups supported by technology firms responding to the escalating electricity requirements of data centers. The industry has garnered over $1 billion in investments recently, with TerraPower securing $1.7 billion in funding thus far.
Despite the positive momentum, nuclear power encounters economic obstacles. Solar, wind, and battery technologies have witnessed substantial cost reductions, and while startups envision that factory production will lead to cost savings, these benefits typically take around a decade to materialize, according to the TechCrunch report.
