Posted on 03/03/2025 12:16:05 PM PST by george76
Last Energy’s PWR-20 is designed for mass production to scale output to user demand...
Washington-based firm has decided to build 30 microreactors in Haskell County, Texas. Last Energy has obtained control of a 200-acre site to provide power to off-takers via a mix of private wire and grid transmission.
The facility is expected to serve American data center customers across the state. “Texas is the energy capital of America, and we are working to be No. 1 in advanced nuclear power,” said Governor Abbott.
“Last Energy’s microreactor project in Haskell County will help fulfill the state’s growing data center demand. Texas must become a national leader in advanced nuclear energy. By working together with industry leaders like Last Energy, we will usher in a nuclear power renaissance in the United States.”
Crucial role in adding capacity to grid Last Energy revealed that the Northwest Texas project will play a crucial role in adding capacity to the grid and meeting data center deployment projections. Texas is currently home to over 340 data centers which consume nearly eight gigawatts of power and make up nine percent of all Texas electricity demand.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth region alone, data centers are expected to drive an additional 43 gigawatts of demand. Last Energy’s PWR-20 is designed for mass-manufacturability to scale output to user demand. PWR-20, which produces 20 MWe, is fully modular and designed for flexible siting, plug-and-play installation, and rapid scalability.
Nuclear power effective way to meet Texas’ demand Bret Kugelmass, Founder and CEO of Last Energy, stated that Texas is America’s undisputed energy leader, but skyrocketing population growth and data center development are forcing policymakers, customers, and energy providers to embrace new technologies.
“Nuclear power is the most effective way to meet Texas’ demand, but our solution — plug-and-play microreactors, designed for scalability and siting flexibility — is the best way to meet it quickly. Texas is a state that recognizes energy is a precondition for prosperity, and Last Energy is excited to contribute to that mission.”
Last Energy has already filed for a grid connection with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and, following briefings with local stakeholders, is preparing to file for an Early Site Permit (ESP) with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Two full-scale prototypes developed in Texas Earlier, the company built two full-scale prototypes in Texas with local manufacturing partners. Last Energy has also held multiple demonstration events in Texas with industry and government stakeholders, including in Houston, during CERAWeek 2024. In addition to developing its site in Texas, Last Energy is exploring projects in Utah, according to a press release.
Reed Clay, president of the Texas Nuclear Alliance, stated that Texas’ growing data center industry will require reliable and resilient power sources that operate 24/7.
“Nuclear energy is the self-evident solution to the state’s growing demand. Last Energy’s Haskell County project is a model of how next-generation nuclear can integrate seamlessly into high-demand industries and showcases how innovation can drive both energy security and the future of global connectivity
What do they cost to build?
What’s the footprint for each, including utility and emergency access and security fencing etc?)
“<3 month refueling period”.....
University nuclear reactors are pulse reactors. They produce mostly radiations and isotopes and nearly no heat so you are out of luck to generate electricity.
“Crack the seals and see how clean things are...”
We don’t “crack the seals ...
What region of Texas?
Haskell county.
Sounds like a bit of an investor scam
Wha- wha -what happened to e-cat ?
Interesting they are to power data centers...
A power source which is difficult to turn off, co-located with massive computing power. No way to turn off the fuel supply, because the fuel is good for a decade or more...
Do we really need those pesky humans?...
What size reactor?
...
How are they to be cooled?...
Agreed the press release reads like a scam to solicit Federal money with no result. A bit of internet digging from the companies web site and the NRCs web page reveals a couple answers.
What size reactor 20 MW electrical 80 ME thermal.
How is it cooled? Primary side pressurized water (PWR) at 300 Degrees C (572 Degrees F). Tertiary side air cooled.
Apparently it will use low enriched uranium fuel at 4.75%.
The NRC web site indicates ESP (Early Site Permit) application has been filed last year. Although the NRC touts a new risk informed licensing process for new reactors, I couldn't find any information on how long it will take or how much it will cost. I believe that the NuScale design (approximately 80 MWe) is the only SMR (Small Modular Reactor) design that has been approved by the NRC.
Governor Perry is from Haskell County.
I grew up 14 miles from the Perry’s. They came to this county just before my ancestors.
I have never met Rick, he is younger than I am.
Seems their maintenance costs and unreliable designs killed that off. I loved the idea.
“It’s not infinite. It WILL run out.”
BS. The Earth creates oil, not dinosaurs.
You should be able to make literally billions, and this year.
Go on out and buy those wells that went empty for Exxon. Capped & Abandoned them. They will sell them to you for $5.
Since you think it has refilled, you will make billions. And very fast. You won’t even have to bring out production equipment. Just drill thru the cap and show the refill, then put the well up for sale for 1000s of % of profit and then do it again and again for all the C&A’ed wells.
Zuckerberg and Gates are special. You aren’t.
you must be one of those people whose use friendly sounding names on horrible things.
like vaccine to sell experimental gene therapy or ‘clean energy’ to sell a nuclear power plant (you do know any escaped air is radioactive... not exactly clean)
What size reactor?
20 megawatts electric and 80 megawatts thermal reject.
What region of Texas?
Northwest Texas hour north of Abilene
How are they to be cooled?
Forced air less than 1 gal per min water use. Small reactors can easily be air cooled vs multi gigawatt monsters. Small also means passive decay heat cooking directly to air vs forced pump cooling with triple redundant diesel generators driving the pumps. Small also means you can ship by truck or rail prefab parts these have a 24 month break ground till first power timeline that’s what happens when you factory build components.
That said the Japanese can build a ABWR in 39 months from the first concrete pour to fuel loading why because they are F’ing Japanese and have discipline in their culture Americans could only dream of having.
How are these small reactor “clusters” to be serviced?
72 month fuel cycle, 95% capacity factor that’s CANDU level well above typical PWR reactors. Like any reactor they have a fuel cycle down time every cycle. With clusters you stagger the times so only one in the cluster is down for fueling at a time.
How are they to be placed behind what kind of security fences and barriers?
The NRC has standard security protocols that all nuclear islands must maintain they will be behind double fences and with NRC approved security protocols.
Deets...
https://www.lastenergy.com/technology
From what?
“BS. The Earth creates oil, not dinosaurs.”
PhD Geoscientist here, petroleum, geochem , hydro with triple MS’s before the PhD. 20 years in the Industry. So I have an expert factual basis for answering this.
Yes the earth makes oil, every day all the time. It is making it at a rate several million times slower than we humans are depleting it.period.full.stop.
We are burning Permian age hydrocarbons from Midland, Cretaceous, Triassic in the Gulf of America. Clearly not sustainable if it takes 200+ million years to make the liquid hydrocarbons being used today. It’s a rate of creation vs consumption issue and it will run out. It when not if.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.