Bill Gates' nuclear venture reveals plans of reactor to help fight climate change

Shortly after Microsoft co-founder presented his detailed take on how to “address climate change”, the nuclear energy venture founded by the American business magnate revealed on Thursday, August 27 the hopes of building small yet advanced nuclear power stations that have the ability to store electricity to supplement grids increasingly supplied by the intermittent sources like solar and wind energy. 

Bill Gates’ 14-year-old venture, TerraPower LLC has collaborated with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) to launch ‘Natrium’ reactor and energy system architecture. As per the company’s official statement, the advanced nuclear technology features a cost-effective sodium fast reactor combines with a molten salt energy storage system that would further offer “abundant clean energy in time to help meet climate goals.”

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Simplifying previous reactor types

The company has elaborated that Natrium technology’s basic architecture is simpler than the reactor types that existed before. It is non-nuclear mechanical, electrical and other equipment will be housed in separate structures that would contribute to reducing its cost and complexity. The entire design of the project that has not been previously reported is intended to permit significant cost savings by allowing major portions of the plant to be built matching the industrial standards. 

The basic enhancements of the technology require fewer equipment interfaces and reduce the amount of nuclear-grade concrete by at least 80 per cent when compared to the larger reactors. These newly-introduced Natriuum reactors are designed to provide firm, flexible power that ‘seamlessly’ integrates into power grids with high penetrations of renewables. Taking about the collaborative project,  Chris Levesque, TerraPower President and CEO called it an “exceptional technology development”.

“As a nuclear innovation company, TerraPower values collaboration with GE Hitachi to make nuclear generation as affordable as possible,” said Chris Levesque. “Our exceptional technology development capabilities, unmatched financing credibility and achievable funding strategy mean that the Natrium technology will be available in the late 2020s, making it one of the first commercial advanced nuclear technologies.”

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