Gas-fired power units under construction at the IPP plant site in central Utah. (Photo: IPA)
Utah-based waste management company EnergySolutions announced that it has signed a memorandum of understating with the Intermountain Power Agency and the state of Utah to explore the development of advanced nuclear power generation at the Intermountain Power Project (IPP) site near Delta, Utah.
According to the Utah Office of Energy Development, the project aligns with the state’s goals of doubling its power production over the next 10 years under Gov. Spencer Cox’s Operation Gigawatt initiative.
As owner of IPP, IPA is retiring the site’s 1.9-MW coal-fired units under the company’s IPP Renewed project. The project includes the installation of new 840-MW gas-fired units capable of burning hydrogen generated from renewable sources.
Developments: The announcement follows EnergySolutions’ signing an MOU with Terrestrial Energy late last year to collaborate on the siting and deployment of Terrestrial Energy’s integral molten salt reactor plants at EnergySolutions-owned sites. EnergySolutions is currently decommissioning nuclear power plants at Kewaunee, Wis.; Fort Calhoun, Neb.; Three Mile Island-2, Pa.; and San Onofre, Calif. It has completed the decommissioning of the Zion plant in Illinois and the La Crosse boiling water reactor in Wisconsin.
While the MOU with IPA and Utah does not identify a specific reactor technology to be built at the IPP site, the agreement has EnergySolutions helping IPA and the state navigate the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s licensing process.
Highlights: According to EnergySolutions, key aspects of the project include:
- Partnering with IPA to leverage existing infrastructure at the IPP site.
- Potential development of advanced small modular reactor nuclear baseload power.
- Potential synergy with the existing IPA energy hub and advanced grid stabilization technologies.
- Collaboration with local, state, and regional stakeholders.
- Commitment to rural economic development and job creation in Utah.
Quotes: “The IPP site is uniquely positioned for consideration of new nuclear generation and builds on IPA’s successful history of power generation development in Utah,” said Cameron Cowan, IPA general manager.
Ken Robuck, president and CEO of EnergySolutions, commented, “By adding new advanced nuclear technology to the existing renewable and hydrogen initiatives, we aim to provide a stable, decarbonized power supply that meets the needs of the state of Utah and the region.”
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