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Their first demonstration reactor is scheduled to go online in 2031. But they’re going to build 8 production reactors, with all the regulatory hurdles, in any r
by pico303 3mo ago
Their first demonstration reactor is scheduled to go online in 2031. But they’re going to build 8 production reactors, with all the regulatory hurdles, in any reasonable length of time? Right.
The headline should probably be, “Meta invests in nuclear startup” and leave it there. My guess is this deal is quietly swept under the rug when the first reactor fails to go fully online by 2032.
- mpweiher 3mo agoWhile Wyoming is a demonstration plant, it is a demonstration plant of exactly the reactor they plan to build in series. And they have received NRC approval. https://thebreakthrough.org/press/release-the-nrc-issues-construction-permit-for-terrapowers-natrium-reactor https://thebreakthrough.org/press/release-the-nrc-issues-con... So not sure what additional regulatory hurdles you see. Can you enlighten us?
- capnrefsmmat 3mo agoFrom your link, > TerraPower must still complete construction, submit an operating license application, and satisfy all applicable safety and regulatory requirements before loading fuel and beginning operations.
- nine_k 3mo agoBasically the built plant must pass a rigorous inspection before starting operations. But for that the plant needs to be built!
- bronson 3mo agoAnd built well, which has been a source of big delays in the past.
- devmor 3mo agoAnd I’m sure no corners will be cut!
- preisschild 3mo agoMany times the reason for this was that the regulations changed during the build necessitating parts to be rebuilt
- bronson 3mo agoSounds like people building it found a way to cheap out that was technically within regulation.
- AngryData 3mo agoI mean that doesn't sound like very big hurdles. It is an inspection of a completed reactor to make sure it wasn't managed and built like trash. Every factory and business and powerplant is subject to an inspection before it can operate. Even most residentual homes require an inspection before people can live in it.
- lazide 3mo agoIt is what typically all reactors get stuck on for years - or often decades.
- mpweiher 3mo agoI doubt it. There used to be separate construction and operating permits, and sometimes you got the building permit, built the plant and then never got the operating license. This has now been streamlined with a combined construction/operating license. If you built what you promised to build, you get to operate it.
- devmor 3mo agoCan you give an example of a plant that has been built under this streamlined process and what kind of timeline it had? The only recent nuclear buildouts that I personally have knowledge of are expansions to existing plants and thus have a lower barrier to get going.
- lazide 3mo agoSince it was just released, that’s pretty hard to do eh? I’m familiar with the reactors built on other previous ‘expedited’ processes that ended up being anything but fast. We’ll see how it goes eh?
- devmor 3mo agoIf it was just released, then your claims about it are entirely hypothetical and best-case-scenario. Of course we have to "see how it goes" - there's no merit but hopefulness to your stance...
- Danox 3mo agoIt will be quietly canceled in about two years….
- chermi 3mo agoThat's the permit/approval for the pilot/test, right? There are about a million approvals they need to get through. Are they using the DoE fast tracking method?
- thinkcontext 3mo agoIs it not possible that they build the first one and things don't go smoothly and they need to make some adjustments for subsequent builds?
- TiredOfLife 3mo agoThey must investigate how it affects the whales. But won't be told which whales and where
- krferriter 3mo agoThat's just federal permission saying they're allowed to even proceed with the process. Nuclear projects cannot begin at all unless they get federal permission. Now that they have permission to do a project related to nuclear energy, I think they will still need to go through all the normal design, planning, permitting processes at federal/state/local levels. Unless they're building on federal land that is exempt from state/local oversight.
- srmatto 3mo agoDidn't the Trump admin put in the same lawyer who helped Uber to "reform" the NRC? I can't find the Bloomberg article but they made it sound like they were going to gut the NRC. To be clear I am not endorsing this, but I read that was happening or they were at least trying.
- Unicironic 3mo agoThis is the correct response
- rzerowan 3mo agoConcur, if it was an established builder with decades of know-how and experience doing a new buildout system maybe would be plausible to expect a reduction in the timeline for delivery. For comparison , the Chinese and Koreans who ae about the only players that have been consistently building/delivering reactors at scale over the last 30 odd years take a minimum of 9-10yrs. Expecting a commercially viable fleet buildout in half that time with less human capital and institutional knowhow is wildly optimistc. Maybe they subcontract out to the Koreans and get the running start that way?
- seanp2k2 3mo agoMaybe they’ll use AI to help build it in record time, then the AI the first one powers will be used to shorten the timeline even further on nth projects /s
- tzs 3mo agoCan you really call a 20 year old company a startup?
- pico303 3mo agoIf they’ve never completed a single project in 20 years, yes.
- salynchnew 3mo agoPeople on HN really love small-scale fission nuclear when the sun is (gestures) right there.
- cassepipe 3mo agoTake it and use it then Of course I am assuming you're not going to cheat by using your right to sell to your solar electricity at fixed price to your local utility, let them figure out production and distribution issues and pretend you are consuming your own solar electricity.
- AtlasBarfed 3mo agoAnd even on that timeline, that spots another 6 years for perovskite solar cell development, wind farm build out, and sodium ion and other ultra cheap storage chemistries to develop. The oppressive economics of alternative energy right now is compared to all the other forms of generation is that they simply have a lot more runway just on economies of scale but also in technological development to increase their economic advantage. And keep in mind that alternative energy has already won the price war even over combined cycle natural gas I just don't think solid fuel rod smrs are the way to go. I think the past the price competitive nuclear involves molten salt reactors with their inherent safety, inherent scalability, breeding, an online reprocessing that uses almost all the fuel. Granted China has about the only one that's ever gone into semi-production. That reminds me, it's been about a year since I heard it went online and I haven't read anything about it