A nuclear power company is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy to harness a more sustainable energy source.
Terrestrial Energy announced the "groundbreaking initiative" in early January. The company said DOE authorization will help it achieve its goal of building and licensing the first Integral Molten Salt Reactor plants by the early 2030s.
IMSR plants would produce energy using nuclear fission technology. Terrestrial Energy calls fission energy a "safe, reliable, carbon-free, and low-cost" alternative to fossil fuels. Unlike conventional reactors that use solid fuel rods, IMSRs would use nuclear fuel dissolved directly into a molten salt mixture. When heated to around 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit, energy can be produced.
The draw of nuclear energy is clear. It's a virtually carbon-free solution to the world's energy crisis, with emissions comparable to wind and solar. The process of fission also produces extremely dense energy. For example, one uranium pellet might produce the same amount of energy as 1 ton of coal.
While supporters of nuclear fission energy tout its lack of carbon pollution and advancements in safety measures, critics still have concerns. One of their top worries is what happens to radioactive waste. In the U.S., about 90,000 tons of nuclear waste are being stored at more than 100 sites across 39 states. The majority of that has come from commercial nuclear power plants.
Critics also point to safety. Although research has shown that the high operating temperatures of ISMRs make meltdowns extremely unlikely, anti-nuclear activists argue that the devastating impact isn't worth the gains.
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Despite arguments against nuclear fission energy, progress is being made in the field. With the backing of the DOE, Terrestrial Energy hopes to have ISMRs in production within 15 years, calling the tech "a short and practical path to low-cost, clean, firm nuclear energy at scale."
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