The United States is eyeing eight nuclear power plants with a combined capacity of 6 gigawatts (GW) that would be refueled on power, eliminating plant shutdowns and enabling continuous operation.
According to a press statement, the eight sites would adopt Canadian reactor designs based on CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) technology.
Unlike conventional reactors that are fueled by enriched uranium, the CANDU reactors are fueled by natural uranium. They use heavy water (deuterium oxide) as moderator and coolant and are designed for large-scale electricity generation.
Replacing gas plants
To evaluate deployment scenarios for the project, the State of Indiana, Hoosier Energy Rural Electric Cooperative, and AtkinsRéalis Group, a Canadian company that holds the manufacturing and licensing rights for CANDU technology, signed a memorandum of understanding Monday.
The agreement follows the nuclear company’s letter of intent, submitted in June this year to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to begin licensing its technology in the USA.
”This collaboration demonstrates the value of working with our American partners to address shared energy challenges and explore solutions that strengthen energy security, support skilled jobs and deliver lasting benefits to communities in the state,” said Joe St Julian, President, Nuclear, at AtkinsRéalis.
According to the MoU, the evaluation would consider a potential gas-to-nuclear construction model to accelerate the deployment of new nuclear power capacity. This means existing gas power sites, including those that have been retired or are expected to close soon, would also be considered for conversion rather than starting from scratch.
No project timeline
However, the US government has not yet announced any potential project timeline.
Multiple factors, including site selection, financing, utility or offtake arrangements, applicable regulatory and licensing activities, environmental review, transmission and interconnection planning, community and stakeholder engagement, and other diligence and approvals, are likely to influence the project timeline, the MoU stated.
If built, the project would strengthen grid resilience and energy security, while providing reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable electricity to American homes and industries.
The first CANDU reactor came online at Rolphinton, Ontario, in 1962 with a gross capacity of only 25 MWe. Since then, the technology has come a long way.
The company has built nearly 34 units worldwide, nearly half of which are in Canada. Other reactors operated by the nuclear company are located in Romania, Argentina, South Korea, and China.
Earlier this week, Amazon backed plans for a 960-megawatt nuclear power facility in Indiana that could house 12 small modular reactors (SMRs) at the site of a former coal-fired power plant.
The design for the project uses TRISO fuel, which contains uranium particles surrounded by several protective layers, including high-temperature ceramic materials. These layers are designed to retain radioactive materials even under extreme operating conditions.