In Mid-2024, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction permit yesterday to Abilene Christian University, giving ACU and its partners the go-ahead to build the Molten Salt Research Reactor (MSRR) facility on its Abilene, Texas, campus. The 1-MWt research reactor is the first molten salt–fueled reactor to get a construction permit from the NRC. After Kairos Power’s Hermes, it is the second non–light water reactor construction permit issued by the NRC.
The permit sets the earliest possible date for construction completion as March 31, 2026, and the latest as December 31, 2029. Prior to beginning construction, ACU must meet its commitment to develop and implement a Degradation Management Program. Prior to operating the MSRR, ACU must apply for and receive an operating license.
Construction began on the Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) in March of 2022 and was completed in August of 2023. The SERC is the first advanced reactor demonstration facility built in the U.S. outside of a national lab and will be the site of Natura Resources’ first advanced reactor deployment.
Douglass Robison, founder and president of Natura Resources, is a third-generation oilman and energy expert. Doug Robison first became acquainted with the molten salt research led by Dr. Rusty Towell (’90), he made a $3.2 million donation to NEXT Lab through his nonprofit Excelsior Foundation. Later, Douglass formed Natura Resources LLC and committed to investing an additional $30.5 million in the project, with $21.5 million of that going to ACU and the remainder going to three other universities in a research consortium led by ACU and dubbed NEXTRA (NEXT Research Alliance).
Natura Resources wants to commercialize molten salt reactor technology following the successful operation of the research reactor. Natura will submit an application for an operating license and Natura will complete the detailed design of the MSR-1. ACU and Natura hope to submit the operating license application in the first half of 2025.
Natura MSR-1 deployment will enable the technology to be licensed and de-risks the licensure of future Natura’s 100-MWe systems.
Commercial Applications
Reliable Energy: Molten salt reactors can produce the lowest levelized cost of electricity in the U.S. by operating at high temperatures and low pressure.
Medical Isotopes: Molten salt reactors can provide the world’s demand for the most commonly used medical radioisotope (Mo-99) and many other medically useful isotopes.
Clean Water: Molten salt reactors produce high temperature heat to be utilized for water desalination, district heating, oil refining, hydrogen production and more.
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Molten salt reactor experiment was at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee, not in Idaho. And the Soviet navy tried liquid metal cooled reactors (lead-bismuth eutectic, 200C lower melt/freeze point than pure lead.) Nothing to do with molten salt.
The most important detail is missing. How do they deal wit corrosion what is the achilles heel of MSR designs.
I hope the lessons learned from the experiments in the Idaho desert are carried over. Some of those were expensive and time-consuming to repair.
Molten salt reactors are a beast to maintain. Just ask the old Soviet marine reactor program techs.
Molten sault reactor “ideas” go way back to the 1950’s. The technology has taken a while for everything to “fit”. Classic example of “how do we make it work, with all the other technologies it must integrate with now”, Unfortunately, even the best ides/technology goes nowhere, if they don’t fit into, aka: accommodate, the current industrial/commercial infrastructure. Why? Please.. “Rocking the boat”, is something many seem to avoid. (To much paperwork?) First, improving technologies “along similar lines”, both engineers, and the general public, “get”. 250yrs ago, try to explain to a very educated person what radio, or x-rays are, It won’t be easy.
IMO, an educated person at any time, is skeptical, but willing to listen. to what they do not know, let alone understand. If it sounds “dangerous’, it often is. But weird and interesting? Then, lets talk…
How low is low cost? Put a dollar figure on construction and cost per kWh. If the cost is legitimate then the university can sell contracts for future electric supply in order to finance the construction. My guess is the tout is a hoax.
Very good way for the University to attract talent… Like a solid dune buggy (mech) or cement canoe (civil) program flagship.