A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by Energy Northwest, Grant County Public Utility District and X-energy to form a partnership to support the development and commercial demonstration of the USA’s first advanced nuclear reactor. The TRi Energy Partnership aims to construct a plant based on X-energy’s Xe-100 reactor design at Energy Northwest’s existing Columbia site in Washington. The Xe-100 is an 80 MWe (scalable to a 320 MWe four-pack) high-temperature gas cooled reactor which uses TRISO (tristructural isotropic) particle fuel. It can integrate into large, regional electricity systems as a base and load-following source of carbon-free power, and can optimise grid use of low-emission, intermittent renewables and other clean energy resources, X-energy says. It can also provide a source of industrial process heat. Washington has mandated 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045. According to the partners, the TRi Energy Partnership will provide invaluable carbon-free electricity to the grid, create new jobs and economic growth, establish the foundation for new renewable energy projects, and help achieve our climate goals with affordable, reliable clean energy.
World Nuclear News 6th April 2021 read more »
