Once upon a time in the 1970s, Washington state was poised to be a major player in the nuclear power sector, but these ambitions are rising again.
According to the Washington State Standard, Washington is stepping back into the nuclear power game. This time, it's focusing on smaller reactors, supported by major tech companies and several policymakers.
Six miles southeast of Wenatchee, the United States' first commercially viable fusion reactor is in the works and expected to be operational by 2028.
Projects in Everett and Richland are focusing on creating small portable fusion reactor units. They're about the size of a wine barrel and can generate 100 kilowatts of power.
Helion Energy, which just moved its central lab to Everett, is working on a reactor site for Orion, a 50-megawatt fusion reactor, in Malaga, Chelan County. Much of this power will go to Microsoft. The company hopes to manufacture and distribute more of these reactors worldwide eventually.
Anthony Pancotti, a Helion co-founder, explained, "This is a first-of-its-kind generator," per WSS.
Avalanche Energy is another Seattle-based company developing small reactors, including ones that can operate underwater and in space. X-energy also signed contracts with Amazon and Energy Northwest to invest $334 million in research on modular reactors at a partially built reactor in Washington.
Nuclear fusion, which combines atoms rather than splitting them, like fission, has great potential because it doesn't create long-lasting, highly radioactive waste. This reduces the need for waste management, removing a major obstacle to using nuclear power. It also produces significantly less planet-warming pollution than burning coal, gas, or oil for energy.
Some policymakers aim to pave the way for Washington's nuclear sector. Senator Maria Cantwell, Representative Suzan DelBene, and other Democrats introduced a bill to provide tax credits for nuclear fusion projects.
Republican legislators, Senators John Braun and Stephanie Barnard, introduced similar nuclear fission-related bills to develop a nuclear power master plan for the state.
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$200 or more 💰 Nuclear power has the potential to be a reliable energy source, but there are obstacles. High upfront costs, radioactive waste, and safety concerns have held the sector back. But these nuclear fusion reactor developments address some of those concerns, and point to a future where nuclear power is more stable and plentiful.
Cantwell stated in a press release, via WSS, "The state of Washington is the world's leading hub for fusion energy, which one day could provide vast amounts of the type of power we need to keep electricity prices down and increase America's economic competitiveness."
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