TerraPower has permission for construction. I thought they had already started construction.
Tag: Nuclear
Link: NRC Press Release on Terrapower
I have become a skeptic about new nuclear power being a viable business. Part of my skepticism is the track record of slow construction. Another part of my skepticism is the number of licenses an owner must obtain from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. None of the other sources has a regulatory agency devoted to issuing it licenses. A license is needed for the design, the construction, operation, and disposal of the waste.
I have been a team member on projects where the weekly meetings became strategy sessions on how to get a response from the issuers of permits less complicated than nuclear operating licenses. Multiple people billed time to the job for each meeting and no forward progress was made. The project cost went up but there was no corresponding increase in its value.
President Trump and Secretary Wright have said nuclear is part of our energy dominance plan along with clean coal and natural gas.
I was under the impression this TerraPower project was under construction in Kemmerer, Wyoming. I thought I read repeatedly that the projected date for the first kWh was 2030. I have been stating that as fact in my reporting on electric power from new nuclear plants. I have said it was this project and its 2030 date which was the first.
Here are some quotes from the press release that illustrate the scope of licensing time needed. The emphasis is mine.
“NRC staff finished their technical review of this new design in less than 18 months.”
“The staff expects to issue the permit soon.”
“TerraPower filed the application in March 2024, requesting a permit to build the sodium-cooled, advanced reactor design on a site near an existing coal-fired power plant. The NRC staff accepted the application and began formal review in May 2024.”
“The 345-megawatt electric (MWe) plant includes an energy storage system to temporarily boost output up to 500 MWe when needed. US SFR Owner would need to submit a separate operating license application, and the NRC staff would need to approve it before the facility could operate.”
If President Trump and Secretary Wright can speed up this process the country will be grateful.