Nuclear Fission Projects for power.

[tahanson43206]

This post is reserved for an index to posts that may be contributed by NewMars members.

Index:

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[tahanson43206]

This topic is offered for NewMars members to add posts about projects involving nuclear fission for power.

We may very well want to create topics for propulsion and perhaps even other applications.

This topic opens with an announcement that the SMR project Bill Gates has been helping to fund is approved for construction.

The link I captured doesn't work.

www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/

Here is the story title: us-approves-construction-permit-for-bill-gates-backed-terrapower-reactor/

And here is Google's summary:

AI Overview
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved a construction permit for TerraPower’s 345-megawatt Natrium reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, on March 4, 2026, marking the first commercial, non-light-water reactor permit issued in over 40 years. Backed by Bill Gates, the sodium-cooled reactor will be built near a retiring coal plant, with construction starting immediately for an anticipated 2030 operation.

Key Details of the TerraPower Reactor Permit:

Significance: This is the first commercial reactor construction permit issued by the NRC in nearly a decade, representing a major step for advanced nuclear technology.
Design & Power: The Natrium reactor utilizes liquid sodium instead of water for cooling and features an energy storage system capable of boosting output to 500 megawatts, enough to power roughly 400,000 homes.
Location: Situated in Kemmerer, Wyoming, strategically placed near a soon-to-be-retired coal plant.
Timeline: Construction begins in early 2026, with planned operational deployment by 2030.
Fuel & Technology: The reactor will run on High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU).

The project, which is estimated to be worth $4 billion, is seen as a key step in reducing carbon emissions while providing 24/7 clean energy, supplementing intermittent sources like solar and wind.

Government approves construction permit for Bill Gates ...
Apr 5, 2026 — Government approves construction permit for Bill Gates-backed TerraPower commercial nuclear reactor. Laurelle Stelle. Sun, April 5...
Yahoo
US approves construction of Bill Gates-backed nuclear reactor ...
Mar 4, 2026 — Summary. Companies. First US approval for reactor to run on more enriched fuel. TerraPower ​expects construction in weeks, operati...
Reuters
Government approves construction permit for Bill Gates-backed ...
Apr 5, 2026 — When pushed to its limits, it will produce almost 500 megawatts. That amount of electricity, enough to power about 400,000 homes, ...
The Cool Down

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