“The nuclear industry is enjoying a renaissance as governments and big tech companies search for clean sources of power to meet their climate commitments. Dozens of projects are already under way to develop small modular reactors, which have capacities of up to about 300 megawatts. 

Microreactors have a much smaller output of up to 20MW, enough to power roughly 20,000 homes, and are likely to operate like large batteries, with no control room or workers on site. The reactors would be transported to a site, plugged in and left to run for several years before being taken back to their manufacturer for refuelling. 

Westinghouse in December won approval from US nuclear regulators for a control system that will eventually allow the 8MW eVinci to be operated remotely. The reactor, which has minimal moving parts, uses pipes filled with liquid sodium to draw heat from its nuclear fuel and transfer it to the surrounding air, which can then run a turbine to produce electricity or be pumped into heating systems.”

From Financial Times.

“Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a start-up founded by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said on Tuesday that it planned to build its first fusion power plant in Virginia, with the aim of generating zero-emissions electricity there in the early 2030s.

The proposed facility is among the first to be announced that would harness nuclear fusion, the process that powers the sun, to produce power commercially, a long-elusive goal that scientists have pursued for the better part of a century.

In theory, a fusion reactor could generate abundant electricity without releasing planet-warming carbon dioxide, and with no risk of large-scale nuclear accidents. But moving the concept out of the lab and onto the power grid has proved immensely difficult.

Commonwealth is the best funded of a crop of start-ups that are hoping to realize fusion’s potential soon. The company is first building a pilot machine in Massachusetts, one it says will demonstrate the feasibility of its technology in 2027.”

From New York Times.

“Officials with Kenya’s Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) said the country is on track to start construction on its first nuclear power plant by 2027. The group at a parliamentary hearing this month said the facility would begin generating power by 2034.

Kenya’s move is the latest by an African nation as more countries on the continent consider building nuclear power stations to supply electricity amid burgeoning demand for power. Rwanda last year signed a deal with Canada’s Dual Fluid Energy for a test reactor that would use liquid fuel and lead coolant, resulting in less radioactive waste, the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board said in a statement at that time. Officials said the country has a goal of at least 1 GW of nuclear power generation by 2031.”

From POWER.

“Appalachian Power, an American Electric Power (AEP) company, said Nov. 14 it plans to file an application with the Virginia State Corporation Commission in spring 2025 to bring small modular reactors (SMRs) to Virginia.

In addition, Appalachian Power will apply for part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s $900 million grant program to hasten deployment of SMRs and help reduce customer costs, the company said.

‘SMR technology is a key component to providing perfect power to our customers,’ said Bill Fehrman, AEP president and chief executive officer. ‘Appalachian Power and AEP are committed to working with our states to develop energy solutions that align with state policy goals and reliably serve our customers.’

Representatives with Charleston, W.Va.-headquartered Appalachian Power have already identified a potential site for an SMR project on company-owned Joshua Falls property in Campbell County, Va. The site provides access to existing electrical infrastructure that is necessary for a generation project, according to the company, which plans to start the early site permit application process.”

From Daily Energy Insider.