The Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization (SRSCRO) and the Advanced Research Center (ARC) have announced their membership in the Next Generation Nuclear Plant Industry Alliance, which aims to commercialize high temperature gas cooled reactor technology. Leaders from both organizations expressed their enthusiasm for moving forward HTGR technology and for the potential of hosting these next generation reactors in the surrounding area or, if property becomes available at the Savannah River Site.
Fred Moore, the Executive Director Emeritus of the NGNP Industry Alliance said “We are very excited about the SRSCRO and ARC joining our other companies in this great cause. The surrounding area is, in fact, a great future location of HTGRs or even the possible location for the first of a kind construction.”
Rick McLeod, Executive Director of the SRSCRO said “These high temperature reactors present a very real and very exciting possibility for our region of the country. We have several local industrial heat users in South Carolina and Georgia that would greatly benefit from the price stability and environmental benefits of heat produced by this type of small modular reactor.”
“Our community is a pro-nuclear community and we have an existing skilled nuclear work force associated with the Savannah River Site and surrounding nuclear industry,” McLeod
On the subject of timing, Moore stated that “With a focused, aggressive effort, the first-of-a-kind modern HTGR module could be up and operating in the U.S. by about 2026 as part of a multi-module deployment.”
Moore added that the Alliance has completed its business plan and is currently speaking with potential investors.
