TerraPower, which Bill Gates founded in 2006, and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy have plans to commercialize stations called Natrium, with reactor and energy system architecture, which will have the ability to store electricity to supplement grids.
TerraPower president and CEO Chris Levesque told Reuters that the firm is looking for more funding from the U.S. Energy Department and private partners.
Building on the technology used in solar thermal generation, Natrium energy storage and flexible power production will offer abundant clean energy in time to help meet climate goals.
The design is intended to permit significant cost savings by allowing major portions of the plant to be built to industrial standards. Improvements use fewer equipment interfaces and reduce the amount of nuclear-grade concrete by 80 percent compared to large reactors. Natrium reactors are designed to provide firm, flexible power that seamlessly integrates into power grids with high penetration
