US microreactor developer Last Energy and the Texas A&M University System have announced plans for a microreactor pilot project at Texas A&M-Rellis, an applied research and advanced technology campus. <\/p>\n
The project will feature Last Energy\u2019s PWR-5, a microreactor design physically identical to the company\u2019s commercial product, the PWR-20<\/a>, scaled to 5 MW of electrical output. <\/p>\n The PWR-20 is designed to be mass manufactured so production can be scaled to user demand. It is designed for flexible siting and \u201cplug-and-play\u201d installation.<\/p>\n Last Energy said the PWR-5 will demonstrate low-power criticality and the ability to generate electricity for commercial output.<\/p>\n Last Energy \u2013 which moved its corporate headquarters to Austin, Texas in May \u2013 has secured a lease agreement at Texas A&M-Rellis, procured a full-core load of fuel, signed an \u201cother transaction agreement\u201d (OTA)* with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and begun formal licensing submissions<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re partnering with Texas A&M to usher in the next atomic era,\u201d said Bret Kugelmass, Founder and CEO of Last Energy. \u201cWith fuel in hand, an optimal site at Relli, and DOE authorisation underway, we have the ideal conditions to demonstrate a standardised, scalable microreactor product in the US.\u201d<\/p>\n In February the Texas A&M University System selected four companies<\/a> to explore developing advanced nuclear power reactors on the Rellis campus, about 15 km west of Texas in Brazos County.<\/p>\n Each of the four companies \u2013 Kairos Power, Natura Resources, Aalo Atomics and Terrestrial Energy \u2013 could potentially build at least one commercial nuclear power plant at Rellis.<\/p>\n The Texas A&M University System has a network of 12 universities across Texas and educates nearly 170,000 students each year.<\/p>\n