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A consortium of public and private partners announced a plan last week to explore expanding nuclear power production and energy storage in Kansas.
Midwest utility provider Evergy, Washington-based TerraPower, and officials at the Kansas Department of Commerce are partnering on a proposed project to locate a nuclear reactor and energy storage system somewhere in Evergy's Kansas service territory.
TerraPower, a nuclear power company founded by Bill Gates, is proposing a Natrium power plant in Evergy’s Kansas territory.
“Our Natrium technology features a next-generation reactor with enhanced safety and efficiency, paired with utility-scale storage to ensure grid resilience,” TerraPower President/CEO Chris Levesque said in a Sept. 23 press release. “The TerraPower team is excited to advance conversations with Evergy, state leaders, and local communities on the opportunities that the Natrium reactor and energy storage system brings to Kansas.”
TerraPower described its Natrium technology as a 345-megawatt electrical (MWe) sodium-cooled fast reactor paired with a molten salt-based energy storage system.
TerraPower said the agreement will allow the company to evaluate site-specific characteristics for the potential power plant, while exploring the plant’s technical design and ability to support Evergy’s customers.
"Nuclear energy has been part of Evergy's generation mix for decades, and this next step will allow us to explore the opportunity to add reliable, non-carbon emitting advanced nuclear energy in the state of Kansas," Evergy Chairman and CEO David Campbell said in a press release announcing the memorandum of understanding. "This agreement supports our all-of-the-above energy strategy and will allow us to evaluate the cost, technology, and feasibility of potentially deploying Natrium advanced nuclear plants."
Evergy operates the Wolf Creek Nuclear Generation Station in Burlington, Kansas, about 95 miles south of the Kansas City metro area. The plant, which opened in 1985, generates 1,200 megawatts of electricity and is currently the only nuclear reactor in Kansas.
"My administration has always supported an 'all-of-the-above' approach when meeting the energy needs of Kansas citizens and businesses," said Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. "We need to explore all available sources to power the future of our great state, and I'm pleased we're using innovative methods to do just that."
According to TerraPower, site selection will be based on many factors, such as community support, the physical characteristics of the site, the site's ability to obtain a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and access to existing infrastructure.
Kansas' U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall, both Republicans, are included in the project's supporters, citing the project's ability to potentially reduce electric costs to consumers.
"Expanding the use of nuclear energy strengthens U.S. energy independence while bringing down electricity costs for Kansas rate payers," Moran said in the release.
Marshall described nuclear as "the way of the future."
"Nuclear produces reliable, clean power — and a lot of it," Marshall said. "I'm excited about the prospect of welcoming TerraPower's Natrium reactor to Kansas and look forward to helping bring this project to fruition so that Kansans can have safe, reliable, and affordable energy."
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