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Atomic Insights

Atomic energy technology, politics, and perceptions from a nuclear energy insider who served as a US nuclear submarine engineer officer

Smaller reactors

Project Dilithium – Boldly going back to a place our ancestors visited and prematurely abandoned

March 11, 2019 By Rod Adams 40 Comments

In January 2019, the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) of the U.S. Department of Defense officially informed the world that it was interested in learning more about small, mobile, nuclear generators. The SCO said it wanted to find out if there was technology available that could supply a forward operating base with abundant, emission-free electricity for […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Advanced Atomic Technologies, Army Nuclear Program, Atomic politics, Smaller reactors

Turning nuclear into a fuel dominated business

October 28, 2018 By Rod Adams 66 Comments

Under our current energy paradigm, nuclear power has the reputation of needing enormous up-front capital investments. Once those investments have been made and the plants are complete, the payoff is that they have low recurring fuel costs. Just the opposite is said of simple cycle natural gas fired combustion turbines. They require a small capital […]

Filed Under: Adams Engines, Advanced Atomic Technologies, Business of atomic energy, Economics, Gas Cooled Reactors, Graphite Moderated Reactors, Pebble Bed Reactors, Smaller reactors

Fission heated gas turbines address MIT Future of Nuclear challenges. Easier, straighter, less costly path

September 20, 2018 By Rod Adams 57 Comments

Addressing Recommendations of MIT Future of Nuclear Energy In a Carbon Constrained World The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a world renowned institution that has produced thousands of highly educated engineers and scientists. It is generously supported by foundations, corporations and governments. In 2003, the MIT Energy Initiative, began publishing a series of reports […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, Gas Cooled Reactors, Graphite Moderated Reactors, New Nuclear, Pebble Bed Reactors, Small Nuclear Power Plants, Smaller reactors

NuScale announces a major step in the NRC’s review of its passively safe SMR

January 10, 2018 By Rod Adams 74 Comments

NuScale, a leader in the increasingly competitive field of advanced nuclear reactor design, has announced that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviewers issued a document that formally agrees that their design does not require any electrical power to achieve safe shutdown. It’s difficult to explain the importance of that regulatory position. People with experience […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, New Nuclear, Nuclear regulations, Small Nuclear Power Plants, Smaller reactors

Urenco, Bruce Power Sign MOU To Develop U-Battery for Canada

January 8, 2018 By Rod Adams 5 Comments

Urenco, Bruce Power and AMEC NSS Limited recently announced that they had signed an MOU to cooperate in the design, licensing and development of Urenco’s U-Battery micro nuclear system for the Canadian electricity and heat market. The U-Battery contains a 10 MWth nuclear heat source that can be configured to produce either 4 MWe plus […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, Gas Cooled Reactors, International nuclear, Reactors, Small Nuclear Power Plants, Smaller reactors

History Made as NuScale Files First SMR Application With U.S. Nuke Regulators

January 27, 2017 By Rod Adams 10 Comments

Two years ago, NuScale committed to filing a license application for its eponymous SMR design with U.S. regulators by the end of 2016. Just three months before two company executives used a custom pen on the cover letter of the ~12,000 page design certification application, even NuScale insiders were doubtful that the task could be […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, Pressurized Water, Small Nuclear Power Plants, Smaller reactors

Terrestrial Energy Announces Plans To License Their Integral Molten Reactor In The U.S.

January 25, 2017 By Rod Adams 15 Comments

Yesterday, Terrestrial Energy USA (TEUSA) informed the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that they planned to begin pre-license application discussions with a goal of being ready to file a design certification application no later than Oct 2019. Here is a brief video that provides an overview of Terrestrial Energy‘s Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSRTM TEUSA […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, Liquid Fuel Reactors, Nuclear regulations, Reactors, Small Nuclear Power Plants, Smaller reactors

History and promise of high temperature gas cooled reactors

January 16, 2017 By Guest Author

By: Diarmuid Foley A small modular nuclear reactor to replace coal plants could be on the market within 5 years. In 2014, the Generation IV international forum[1] confirmed the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) as one of 6 promising reactor technologies that should be pursued in order to develop advanced reactors suitable for deployment in […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, Atomic history, Gas Cooled Reactors, Pebble Bed Reactors, Reactors, Small Nuclear Power Plants, Smaller reactors

No obstacles prevent China from rapidly building floating nuclear power plants

April 23, 2016 By Rod Adams 35 Comments

Credible entities in China have begun lining up the supply chains required to produce reliable electrical power from barge mounted nuclear fission power plants. There are no technical, industrial, or regulatory hurdles that prevents the first of those machines from being in service by 2020. China has a pressing need for the electricity those movable […]

Filed Under: Atomic ships, International nuclear, New Nuclear, Nuclear Navy, Nuclear Ships, Small Nuclear Power Plants, Smaller reactors

Looking forward to Nuclear Energy Insider’s SMR Conference

April 7, 2016 By Rod Adams 2 Comments

For the past 5 years, Nuclear Energy Insider has been holding annual gatherings focused on developments related to small modular reactors (SMR). From the outside, it can appear that little progress has been made during those years, but nuclear technology development is an endurance sport that rewards the patient and persistent. NuScale should be submitting […]

Filed Under: Nuclear Energy Insider SMR, Smaller reactors

Bechtel will “pursue” accelerated mPower development

March 8, 2016 By Rod Adams 18 Comments

I’ve relearned a valuable lesson — read press releases and other PR material closely, paying special attention to wiggle words. On Friday, March 4, Bechtel issued a press release titled Bechtel, BWXT to Pursue Acceleration of Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Project. In my excitement, I missed the key word in the headline and in the […]

Filed Under: Business of atomic energy, New Nuclear, Small Nuclear Power Plants, Smaller reactors, Water Cooled Reactors

Bechtel and BWXT have announced an acceleration of Generation mPower

March 5, 2016 By Rod Adams 9 Comments

Note: For an update on this topic see subsequent post titled Bechtel will “pursue” acceleration of mPower project. On March 4, 2016, in a press release issued from Reston, VA, Bechtel and BWX Technologies (BWXT) announced that they would be accelerating their Generation mPower small modular reactor project. Bechtel will take over the project lead […]

Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, New Nuclear, Pressurized Water, Small Nuclear Power Plants, Smaller reactors, Water Cooled Reactors

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