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Construction Begun! Bill Gates’ Dream Becomes Reality with the First Sodium Nuclear Reactor, Marking a New Era for Energy
It is no longer just an idea. The first Natrium plant is already under construction. For Bill Gates, the future of energy lies in these sodium nuclear reactors. Neither renewable energies nor nuclear fusion, the mogul has worked for several decades on this solution for clean and affordable energy, and now they have taken the first step to implement it.
TerraPower, the company founded by Bill Gates based on Natrium, has started construction of its plant in Wyoming. Last month in June, they announced that they have moved from the design phase to the construction phase.
Clean and Advanced Energy in Kemmerer
The first TerraPower plant will be in Kemmerer, Wyoming. This is a mining town in the United States where the first plant housing the sodium-based modular reactor will be inaugurated. Bill Gates himself laid the first stone. “I’ve been waiting for this day for nearly 20 years,” Gates explained at the moment of the plant’s construction start. Several TerraPower executives gathered at the ceremony. “The world’s most advanced nuclear project,” as defined by Gates.
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With 55 floors, 177 meters in height, a 15-meter walkway between the twin towers, ventilated facade, and 6,300 m² of leisure space, Ápice Towers already has one tower completed and another nearly at the top.
The Construction Process and the Challenges of Nuclear Energy
The deployment of Natrium is a process that will take, according to TerraPower’s plans, about five years. The first phase is the test installation in Kemmerer. In Wilmington, North Carolina, is where the fuel will be, along with the company GE Hitachi, which collaborates on the project, and finally, there will be a third location for the Natrium nuclear reactor itself. In total, about 1,600 workers will be needed to build the project. Once the plant is operational, it will require about 250 workers for day-to-day operations.
Waiting for Nuclear Energy Approval
The construction of the facilities has already begun, but not the nuclear reactor. In early 2024, TerraPower requested from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission the license to build its nuclear reactor, something they have not yet obtained. The lack of permission for the nuclear part remains an obstacle, but the construction of the facilities is already underway, preparing the ground for the future of energy with Natrium.
How Does the Natrium Sodium Nuclear Reactor Work?
Natrium differs from conventional nuclear reactors by using a core of sodium fluoride salt and liquid sodium instead of water to control the nuclear reaction. This design allows the plant to operate at higher temperatures, increasing efficiency and energy storage capacity. Liquid sodium can absorb up to eight times more heat than water, making the process significantly more effective.
Energy Storage: The Great Advantage of Natrium
In addition to being a source of clean energy, Natrium stands out for its storage capacity. The project includes a storage system based on molten salts, which is capable of retaining energy without significant losses. This system works by heating molten salts during the reactor’s operation. When there is excess energy, the salts are kept heated and store the heat. Later, when energy demand increases, the stored heat is converted back into electricity through a thermal cycle.
If you want to know more about the Natrium reactor, check out our article HERE.
Source: Natrium
A reportagem erra ao falar em energia limpa, o reator nuclear que utiliza S**** ao invés de água produz lixo atômico como qualquer reator nuclear convencional à água….
Bem lembrado.
Da forma como está disposto no título, os leigos poderão pensar que existe mais de um tipo de s****, mas não. Natrium é o nome do **** s**** em latim, tanto que o símbolo dele na tabela periódica é Na.
E também fala em energia limpa, que é falso, pois vai produzir lixo atômico como qualquer reator nuclear convencional…..
Senão vejamos!