The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s recent approval of a Bill Gates nuclear power plant in Wyoming could prove to be critical to a similar project in Kansas.
The approved permit was for TerraPower’s Natrium nuclear power plant outside Kemmerer, Wyoming. The Kemmerer Unit 1 plant is the first commercial nuclear reactor to be approved in the U.S. in 10 years and the first ever commercial-scale liquid sodium-cooled reactor permitted in the nation.
Terra Power announced a similar effort in Kansas last fall as it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kansas Department of Commerce in conjunction with Evergy, the utility company.
The Kansas project is the same kind of nuclear power plant approved in Wyoming.
“Our Natrium technology features a next-generation reactor with enhanced safety and efficiency, paired with utility-scale storage to ensure grid resilience,” said TerraPower president and chief executive officer Chris Levesque in September of 20225.
“The TerraPower team is excited to advance conversations with Evergy, state leaders and local communities on the opportunities that the Natrium reactor and energy storage system brings to Kansas.”
This agreement will enable the collaboration between the entities to evaluate site-specific characteristics for a potential advanced nuclear power plant, as well as explore the Natrium plant’s technical design and ability to support Evergy’s customers. Site selection will be based on an evaluation of a variety of factors including community support, the physical characteristics of the site, the ability of the site to obtain a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and access to existing infrastructure.
“My administration has always supported an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach when meeting the energy needs of Kansas citizens and businesses,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “We need to explore all available sources to power the future of our great state, and I’m pleased we’re using innovative methods to do just that.”
“Nuclear energy has been part of Evergy’s generation mix for decades, and this next step will allow us to explore the opportunity to add reliable, non-carbon emitting advanced nuclear energy in the state of Kansas,” said David Campbell, Evergy’s chairman and chief executive officer. “This agreement supports our all-of-the-above energy strategy and will allow us to evaluate the cost, technology, and feasibility of potentially deploying Natrium advanced nuclear plants.”
“In order to continue our state’s phenomenal surge in economic activity that benefits Kansas residents and communities,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said, “we need to consider all innovative options that strengthen our competitive position while driving down costs for consumers. This project could do both.”
The Natrium technology features a 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt-based energy storage system. The storage technology can boost the system’s output to 500 MW of power when needed as it is designed to keep base output steady, ensuring constant reliability, and can quickly ramp up when demand peaks — it is the only advanced reactor design with this capability.
Oklahoma has no nuclear power projects in the state but has concluded a 9-month study which is being presented this week to state leaders.