A major agreement was signed on April 1 by three institutions—X-Energy (Rockville, MD), Energy-Northwest (Richland, WA) and the Grant County (Washington) Public Utility District (PUD), to build an advanced nuclear reactor near Richland, Washington, to be operational within seven years. This would be the first such advanced reactor for the U.S. The partnership, called the Tri-Energy Partnership, stated: “The planned Xe-100 high temperature, gas-cooled reactor will use a design that eliminates the possibility of a meltdown and will require a smaller safety perimeter compared to traditional plants…. It will use a low enriched uranium fuel encased in ceramic to make it impossible to melt.”
The Partnership also expressed confidence in the reactor’s ability to match growing demand for efficient electricity, stating that due to its modular design, more units could be added together for increased output.
The Tri-City Herald reported on April 1: “The partners will collaborate and share resources to evaluate their mutual goal of siting, building, and operating a Xe-100 advanced nuclear power plant at an existing Energy Northwest site north of Richland, with the potential to generate up to 320 megawatts of reliable, carbon-free energy. Through the Tri Energy Partnership, the parties will evaluate each step of the project and identify the best approach to licensing, permitting, construction, operation, and ownership.”
