Supplier contracts awarded for TerraPower’s Natrium project

The latest awardees are AvanTech, headquartered in South Carolina; PAR Systems, based in Minnesota; and Structural Integrity Associates, which has several U.S. offices.

Natrium reactor: TerraPower’s Natrium reactor, which is being developed with funding from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, consists of a 345-MWe sodium fast reactor coupled with a molten salt energy storage system, providing built-in gigawatt-scale energy storage. The storage system has the potential to boost the reactor’s power output to as much as 500 MWe for more than five-and-a-half hours when needed, with the power ramping up at a rate of 10 percent per minute. Natrium is currently the only advanced reactor with such a design.

The Natrium reactor maintains constant thermal power of 840 MWt at all times, maximizing its capacity factor and value, according to TerraPower. “Molten salt energy storage is more resilient, flexible and cost-effective than current grid-scale battery technology,” the company says.

Coal-to-nuclear: The Natrium demonstration plant is being constructed near a retiring coal-fired power plant in Kemmerer, making it the only coal-to-nuclear project under development in the world. When the reactor becomes operational, which is expected in 2030, it will serve as a fully functioning commercial power plant. TerraPower then plans for rapid scale-up and broad deployment of Natrium reactors.

Awardee responsibilities: AvanTech will design advanced sodium-processing system modules and supporting skids for the Natrium plant. It will also fabricate and deliver the Test and Fill Facility Cold Trap Skid.

PAR Systems will design and fabricate the pool handling machine, a specialized crane system for spent fuel pool operations. The machine will be able to handle and transport spent nuclear fuel assemblies and related components within the spent fuel pool. Precise handling of these components is essential for proper fuel storage, inspection, and maintenance activities.

Structural Integrity Associates is charged with designing and fabricating the sodium cover gas gamma spectroscopy analysis cabinet, a radiation-monitoring system. The cabinet will perform gamma spectrometric analysis of cover gas exhaust to monitor radioisotopes and to generate other data needed for safe operations.

Building domestic capabilities: In addition to awarding these three supplier contracts, TerraPower has secured deals for all of Natrium’s long-lead items and the entire reactor enclosure system. According to the company, “These additional awards demonstrate the Natrium project’s critical role in building the domestic capabilities needed to scale next-generation nuclear technology to meet growing energy demand.”