Wyoming towns eager to host nuclear plant

[TexasTowelie]

CASPER — Four Wyoming communities are in the running to play host to a new nuclear reactor coming to the state.

The next-generation plant will replace an existing coal-fired plant, meaning there are four sites in consideration — the Dave Johnston plant in Glenrock, the Wyodak plant outside Gillette, the Naughton plant in Kemmerer and the Jim Bridger plant near Rock Springs.

Following an announcement Wednesday from Gov. Mark Gordon, Rocky Mountain Power and TerraPower founder Bill Gates that the state had been chosen for the pilot project, leaders in Glenrock, Gillette, Kemmerer and Rock Springs now await a final decision on the reactor’s location.

The site chosen for the Natrium Reactor project will be announced by the end of the year, Rocky Mountain Power President and CEO Gary Hoogeveen said Wednesday. The reactor is planned to start generating energy by mid-2028.

Read more: https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/news/state/wyoming-towns-eager-to-host-nuclear-plant/article_abdf3ccd-d5dd-518c-acfa-86c6b0533981.html

[keithbvadu2]

1. Two lotteries for it:::

Two lotteries for it:::

1. How much over budget will it be?

2. Will it actually be finished?

[gab13by13]

2. Have a second lottery to see which families

get to live down wind from the "next-generation" plant.

[samnsara]

3. my trumper sis left wash state after the elections and ran away to wyoming..

...to Casper! ha

[Budi]

4. Plenty of positives in the article. I am on board with all the reasons for nixing Coal Fired Plants

Here's a little more about Gates & Buffet's ingenuity of Natrium based Nuclear Plants.

It's quite an interesting approach.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/utility-small-nuclear-reactor-firm-select-wyoming-next-us-site-2021-06-02/


TerraPower, founded by Gates about 15 years ago, and power company PacifiCorp, owned by Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N), said the exact site of the Natrium reactor demonstration plant is expected to be announced by the end of the year.

Small advanced reactors, which run on different fuels than traditional reactors, are regarded by some as a critical carbon-free technology than can supplement intermittent power sources like wind and solar as states strive to cut emissions that cause climate change.

"This is our fastest and clearest course to becoming carbon negative," Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon said. "Nuclear power is clearly a part of my all-of-the-above strategy for energy" in Wyoming, the country's top coal-producing state.

The project features a 345 megawatt sodium-cooled fast reactor with molten salt-based energy storage that could boost the system's power output to 500 MW during peak power demand.
TerraPower said last year that the plants would cost about $1 billion.

Snip
"Levesque said that the plants would reduce proliferation risks because they reduce overall nuclear waste."...