Bill Gates vs Rolls-Royce? 345MW Terrapower nuclear reactor to shake up UK energy race
Terrapower has submitted a letter to the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
Bill Gates-backed Terrapower has decided to give a challenge to Rolls-Royce in the United Kingdom market for the deployment of nuclear reactors.
Terrapower has submitted a letter to the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) which establishes its intention of entering the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process.
It should be noted that the company’s Natrium reactor is currently being developed in the United States.
This is the first step taken by Terrapower with the intent to deploy its Natrium nuclear reactor in the international market.
“I am incredibly excited to begin of the process of licensing the Natrium technology in the UK,” said Chris Levesque, TerraPower President and CEO.
“TerraPower is committed to deploying Natrium units globally and has been in active discussions in the UK for years. There is immense interest and opportunity for the United States and United Kingdom to cooperate on deploying advanced nuclear plants over the coming decade.”
Terrapower’s bid for UK’s GDA process
Terrapower says that the UK’s GDA process will build on its successful regulatory endeavors and allow for the company to establish deployment timelines for Natrium sites in the country.
The regulatory milestones with its first Natrium plant, currently being developed in the United States, will be used as the basis of its GDA application. These milestones include the pre-application meetings it held with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).