In March, TerraPower announced its partnership with KBR, a project delivery company with experience supporting construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant.
Quotable: “I am incredibly excited to begin of the process of licensing the Natrium technology in the U.K.,” said Chris Levesque, TerraPower’s chief executive. “TerraPower is committed to deploying Natrium units globally and has been in active discussions in the U.K. for years. There is immense interest and opportunity for the United States and United Kingdom to cooperate on deploying advanced nuclear plants over the coming decade.”
A closer look: The GDA process will add to TerraPower’s successful regulatory steps and enable the company to establish deployment timelines for Natrium sites in the U.K.
In the U.S., TerraPower is developing its first Natrium plant in Wyoming near a retiring coal plant and has reached several milestones with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other stakeholders, including the following:
- Preapplication meetings with the NRC.
- Successful submission and acceptance of the construction permit application (CPA) to the NRC.
- More than one years’ worth of review with the NRC on the company’s CPA and topical report submittals, with the NRC recently announcing they are ahead of schedule on the review.
- A construction permit from the state of Wyoming.
The U.S. process will be used as the basis for TerraPower’s U.K. GDA application.
What’s next: TerraPower’s bid in the U.K. will add pressure to Rolls-Royce, which is vying to lead advanced nuclear projects in the country, according to the Telegraph.
Alongside Rolls-Royce, GE Hitachi, Holtec, and Westinghouse are also short-listed for the contract with Great British Nuclear. According to the Telegraph, a final decision is expected some time this spring.
