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December 27, 2010

Russia and India teaming to provide small reactors to South Asian market

Power plants in the 200-250 MW range are thought to be an excellent match for the needs of energy-starved Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. India has been helping them by linking their grids with its own. During the recent visit to India by Russian Oresident Medvedev, a framework for the two nations to work together in selling nuclear plants and services was established. Negotiators from New Delhi and Moscow said both sides are confident of executing projects jointly.

[Ref: Shubhajit Roy, "N-plants: India, Russia to counter China in South Asia", IndianExpress.com, December 27, 2010]

March 9, 2008

* Air Force considers n-plants for Cannon AFB (NM) and Mountain Home AFB (Idaho)

March 18, 2004

Alaskan village offered prototype "nuclear battery" by Toshiba

The village of Galena, Alaska, is considering switching from its 28 cents/kWh diesel generator electricity to a Toshiba 4S micronuclear power plant. On paper, the Toshiba proposal to build a prototype plant could lower the cost of energy by more than 75 percent with little capital cost to the city. The 4S is a sodium-cooled fast spectrum reactor -- a low-pressure, self-cooling reactor. Toshiba representatives say the system is nothing like the infamous sodium-cooled nuclear power plants of the past. Rather, they characterize it as a "nuclear battery" -- self-contained and automated without any moving parts. At the heart of the 4S system is a log-sized uranium core, which would generate power for 30 years before needing to be disposed of and replaced. The company hopes to have a 4S system operational by the end of the decade.

[Source: Eric Mack (freelance writer and weekly News-Miner columnist), "Galena eyes energy options", Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, March 18, 2004]

2002

* Small modular reactor R&D support in House and Senate (Nov 2002)

* In post 9/11 world, the 'S' in STAR now stands for 'Secure'

* Small Modular Reactors - common design features