The NRC has approved the first small nuke design for production

[begreen]

This is an important milestone. It means that NuScale can begin production of its small modular nuclear reactor (SMNR). Unlike mega plants, this design can be manufactured in factories and shipped to the site. This should greatly reduce cost of production. They can burn nuclear waste and in a failure mode, they can safely run and shut down without power. Who will be the first customers, Idaho, Romania? One new obstacle has been the dramatic increase in the price of steel. Carbon steel piping and steel plate costs are up 50% since 2020.

1st small modular nuclear reactor certified for use in US

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has certified the design for what will be the United States’ first small modular nuclear reactor.

apnews.com

NuScale Power | Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Nuclear Technology

We are the global leaders in SMR nuclear technology, delivering our groundbreaking NuScale Power Module to customers in 4, 6, and 12-module VOYGR power plants.

www.nuscalepower.com

 

[Poindexter]

I think the first federal customer is the USAF for the underfloor heat on the 2 mile runway at Eielson AFB just outside Fairbanks. I don't know how many men or how much equipment goes into maintaining that runway, but I do wish my driveway looked that good all winter.

We have a hive of F-35s up here, but the main thing is a bunch of fuel tankers to keep the B-52s airborne on polar routes to, ummm, places best reached from North Dakota via the north pole.

 

[weee123]

This is awesome! Nuclear is definitely the way to go in my opinion. Hopefully I live to see fusion energy take off some day.

 

[EbS-P]

We have a long way to go see them deployed and running. This article was an interesting take. Probably will need government funding to see any large scale deployments.

The Nuclear Fallacy: Why Small Modular Reactors Can't Compete With Renewable Energy - CleanTechnica

Will the small modular nuclear reactor community be able to find an optimized point on the physics vs modularity curve? I don't think so.

cleantechnica.com

 

[KDubU]

I think this is very good news. As for fusion energy, bring it on!

 

[old greybeard]

I think this is very good news. As for fusion energy, bring it on!

Then let’s fund it. We spend much more govt money on electric car rebates for the rich than we spend funding fusion research.

 

[woodgeek]

Then let’s fund it. We spend much more govt money on electric car rebates for the rich than we spend funding fusion research.

I was curious, and I found this chart:

http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2021/ph241/margraf1/images/f1big.png

It was less than I had thought. Looks like about $20B 2020 dollars cumulative.

 

[begreen]

We have a long way to go see them deployed and running. This article was an interesting take. Probably will need government funding to see any large scale deployments.

The Nuclear Fallacy: Why Small Modular Reactors Can't Compete With Renewable Energy - CleanTechnica

Will the small modular nuclear reactor community be able to find an optimized point on the physics vs modularity curve? I don't think so.

cleantechnica.com

It looks like there is a process already underway in Idaho and Utah to make this happen after contingencies have been worked out.