BWX Technologies will evaluate the viability of fielding small-scale nuclear reactors as a potential energy resource in the state of Wyoming under a two-year contract with the Wyoming Energy Authority.
BWXT’s advanced technologies subsidiary will perform contract work in two phases and the initial phase will involve collaboration with the state’s industries to identify the requirements for base heat’s nuclear applications and determine the trona mining operations’ power needs, the company said Tuesday.
Under the second phase, the company will further develop the design of the “BANR” microreactor system to meet the requirements of the state’s potential end users and support the demonstration of reactor component production capabilities as part of efforts to validate supply chain activities conducted in the first phase.
“At the end of this project, the potential job-creation, manufacturing and industrial opportunities for nuclear power in Wyoming will be clearer, and we will have a roadmap for deploying microreactors in the state,” said Joe Miller, president of BWXT Advanced Technologies.
The company will work on the contract using nuclear development achievements from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.