Looks pretty cool. Whether it will work and at what cost remains to be seen.
NUCLEAR Nation's first advanced reactor proposal heads to NRC Wednesday, March 18, 2020 [image: Oklo nuclear powerhouse rendering. Photo credit: Gensler/Oklo Inc.] A rendering of Oklo Inc.'s Aurora powerhouse at night. Gensler/Oklo Inc. A Silicon Valley-based company yesterday submitted the nation's first proposal for an advanced reactor for federal review — a micro-sized plant unlike the traditional larger light water units that currently dot the country. Oklo Inc. announced its submission of the first combined license application for an advanced reactor to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, kicking off what's likely to be a yearslong licensing effort for its 1.5-megawatt advanced fission power system design. The application marks the first advanced reactor license application submitted to the NRC with full private funding backing for a commercial project. "We are excited to show that an application for a fundamentally different fission technology can meet and exceed existing regulations while not being impeded by guidance based on nuclear plants of decades ago," said Caroline Cochran, chief operating officer and co-founder of Oklo, in a statement. The company since 2016 had been in pre-application discussions with the NRC, where it has helped inform the commission as it prepares new licensing pathways for the review of an nontraditional nuclear technology. Even with that preparation, an official NRC review of the license submittal has been delayed due to the government's response to the spreading coronavirus. A meeting originally scheduled for March 31 for the commission staff to conduct an acceptance check for the Oklo application has been postponed, the NRC announced yesterday. "We've postponed a March 31 meeting that, once we reschedule it, will help the staff ensure it has all the information it needs to decide whether the application is complete enough for a full review," said NRC spokesman Scott Burnell. "We'll keep everyone informed on when we make the application available on our website, and when we reach a decision on a full review." Much of the NRC's current regulatory review processes covers light-water reactors — the basis of much of the existing nuclear fleet. But a wave of expected advanced reactor designs has the commission rethinking how it approaches those reviews. The Department of Energy has been at the forefront of providing federal resources and help to shepherd those technologies as they look to move to deployment. "This is BIG NEWS for the industry," DOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Rita Baranwal tweeted. "Congrats to Oklo. Its microreactor design is the first non-light water advanced reactor to enter the NRC review process, which will help pave the way for future developers. "Advanced nuclear is happening in the US!" she added. Oklo said its technology is capable of producing "1.5MW of electric power and during its operation can save 1,000,000 tons of carbon emissions over the diesel generator alternative." The design is capable of producing heat through an advanced fuel, which is then converted into electricity. That operation life would last decades without having to refuel, with the capabilities of using nuclear waste as its fuel stock. The design is one of many advanced reactor concepts expected over the next decade as the nuclear industry looks to transition to more flexible technologies in its next generation of reactors. "The 2020s will advance these new nuclear technologies from design concepts to reality, ushering in a wave of nuclear innovation that will change how we power our future while mitigating against a changing climate," said Nuclear Energy Institute President and CEO Maria Korsnick on Oklo's announcement _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
