Full Title: Small Scale Nuclear Power: an option for Alaska?
Author(s): Gwen Holdmann, George Roe, Steve Colt, Heike Merkel, Kathy Mayo
Publisher(s): Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP)
Publication Date: January 19, 2021
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
Over the past 20 years, much of the progress in nuclear power technology has been in the field of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and, more recently, Micro Nuclear Reactors (MNRs). These differ significantly from legacy gigawatt-scale light water reactors that are still in use around the world. SMRs and MNRs are much smaller and could be considered for a variety of uses in Alaska. These potential uses include military and industrial combined heat and power applications powering portions of the Railbelt grid, as well as heat and power in rural communities.
This report provides Alaskans with a snapshot of the current status of SMR and MNR technologies, relevant state and national policies and regulations, and economics related to potential deployment in Alaska. It updates portions of a 2011 study completed by the Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP, University of Alaska Fairbanks) in partnership with the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER, University of Alaska Anchorage) titled “Small Scale Modular Nuclear Power: An Option for Alaska?” It also complements a 2020 market survey prepared by the Center for Economic Development at the University of Alaska Anchorage titled “Microreactors in Alaska: Use Case Analysis” for the U.S. Department of Energy.