Washington Xe-100 reactor site
A number of Xe-100 small modular reactors designed by X-energy will be installed for nuclear electric power production near the Columbia Generating Station in Washington, by the 2030s. It will be X-energy's second power plant after one in Texas due to be finished by 2030.[2] The operator will be Energy Northwest, the operator of Columbia Generating Station, the only nuclear power station in the Pacific Northwest as of 2023.[3]
| Washington Xe-100 reactor site | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Location | Benton County, near Richland, Washington |
| Coordinates | 46.466°N 119.313°W[1] |
| Status | Proposed |
| Owner(s) | Energy Northwest |
| Operator(s) | Energy Northwest |
| Nuclear power station | |
| Reactor type | Helium cooled HTGR |
| Reactor supplier | X-energy |
| Power generation | |
| Make and model | Xe-100 |
| Units planned | 12 |
| Nameplate capacity | 960 MW total[2] |
Opposition
The site is opposed by environmental groups including Columbia River Keeper,[4] and the Oregon Conservancy Foundation who oppose new small modular reactors in general.[5] Columbia River Keeper states that Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation opposed X-energy's application for a Department of Energy license to operate at the Hanford Site.[4]
References
- Gregoire, Don; Gorden, Milton (c. 2022). "Subsurface Investigation Approach – Xe-100 Project on Former WNP-1 Site" (PDF). Energy Northwest – via U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Stiffler, Lisa (July 19, 2023). "Next-gen nuclear reactor company signs deal to build up to 12 reactors in Washington state". Geekwire. Retrieved July 21, 2023 – via MSN.
- Ellenbecker, Lauren (July 20, 2023). "Energy Northwest signs deal for nuclear project in Central Washington". The Columbian. Vancouver, Washington. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
the small modular reactor project will be developed adjacent to the Columbia Generating Station in Richland, the region's only commercial nuclear energy facility
- "Nuclear Energy Development Q&A: Threatens the Columbia River" (PDF). Columbia River Keeper. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
- Frank, Joshua (July 20, 2023). "The Pacific Northwest Is Experiencing an Atomic Energy Renaissance". The Nation. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
Sources
- LeCompte, Michael (July 19, 2023). "Central Washington to be site of new, small nuclear reactors". Kennewick, Washington: Nonstop Local (KHQ Television Group). Retrieved July 21, 2023.
Further reading
- Bernton, Hal (November 8, 2021). "This next-generation nuclear power plant is pitched for Washington state. Can it 'change the world'?". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 21, 2023.