US Nuclear Regulatory Commission approves construction of TerraPower Natrium reactor
Change
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction approval allowing TerraPower to begin building a 345-megawatt, sodium-cooled Natrium reactor with up to 500 megawatts of short-duration output at Kemmerer, Wyoming.
Why it matters
The approval permits on-site construction but does not authorize operation, so a separate operating license from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission remains required before the plant can produce power. Licensing reviews will need to address the Natrium design's sodium coolant and integrated thermal storage, creating additional regulatory checkpoints for safety and performance.
Implications
- • TerraPower must obtain a US Nuclear Regulatory Commission operating license before commencing commercial electricity generation at Kemmerer.
- • TerraPower and GE Hitachi must satisfy NRC safety and licensing conditions related to sodium coolant management and the plant's integrated thermal storage system.
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