Jakarta, INTI - A company founded by Bill Gates has received approval to build a nuclear power plant that utilizes a salt-based energy storage system.
First Nuclear Reactor License in Eight Years
According to IFL Science, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has reportedly granted TerraPower permission to construct a commercial nuclear reactor in the state of Wyoming. The approval marks the first license issued for such a project in the past eight years.
TerraPower is a startup established by Bill Gates in 2008. In 2024, the company applied for a permit to develop a 345-megawatt nuclear reactor that uses a sodium cooling system. The reactor, known as Natrium, will operate with low-enriched uranium fuel containing 5–20 percent uranium and will be connected to a molten salt energy storage system with a capacity of 1 gigawatt-hour.
The total investment required to build the Natrium reactor is estimated at around US$4 billion, with operations targeted to begin by 2030.
How Natrium’s Liquid Metal Cooling System Works
Unlike most nuclear power plants currently operating in the United States, Natrium uses a different cooling approach. Conventional plants typically rely on pressurized water reactors, where water functions both as a coolant and as a neutron moderator.
In these systems, high-pressure water absorbs heat generated by nuclear fission reactions at temperatures reaching around 300°C before turning into steam to drive turbines. After use, the water, having been exposed to radioactive materials, must be stored and managed carefully.
However, water-based cooling systems can present several challenges, including the potential risk of radioactive leaks and the acceleration of metal corrosion. Once corrosion occurs, repairing components becomes difficult due to the high pressure within the reactor system.
The Natrium design addresses these issues by using liquid metal to absorb heat. Liquid metal has a boiling point roughly eight times higher than water, allowing it to capture more heat efficiently. Molten salt is then used to regulate and cool the temperature of the liquid metal, enabling it to be reused continuously, unlike water which must be pumped out after each cycle.
Conclusion
The approval of TerraPower’s Natrium project marks an important step in the development of next-generation nuclear energy technologies. By combining sodium cooling with molten salt energy storage, the design aims to deliver safer, more efficient, and more flexible nuclear power. If successful, the project could play a significant role in supporting the transition toward reliable low carbon energy systems in the coming decades.
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