A global nuclear energy renaissance is unfolding as nations around the world re-embrace fission technology as a safe and necessary part of a stable and low-carbon energy mix. The artificial intelligence boom is pushing policymakers and private sector interests alike to adopt an all-of-the-above approach to energy development as electricity demand projections far outpace planned energy capacity additions.
But traditional nuclear energy is hugely costly and requires navigating miles of red tape. In one disastrous example, the United States’ only new nuclear plant in the last several decades – Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, Georgia – racked up a tab of $35 billion after years of delays. Plant Vogtle was supposed to be a symbol of the country’s nuclear revitalization, but it is more often trotted out as an example of its failure and financial impracticality.
But while Vogtle is a cautionary tale for traditional nuclear reactors, it is not a harbinger of doom for nuclear as a whole. Rather, it underscores that our approach to nuclear energy development needs to evolve. Meeting the energy needs of data centers will require approaches that are both cheaper and faster. This need has spurred a wave of next-gen nuclear options that are smaller, more agile, and cheaper to develop, and they’re likely coming soon to a region near you.
Small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors have gained major traction in the last few years as a much more affordable, versatile, and safer alternative to large-scale reactors. But some researchers think that they can slash costs and boost safety measures even more by putting these kinds of reactors underground – deep, deep underground.
Deep Fission, a U.S.-based company, has raised $80 million in new financing for its "gravity reactor" model, which places a 15-megawatt (MWe) pressurized water reactor (PWR) at the bottom of a mile-deep borehole. The company estimates that this innovative approach could slash construction costs by approximately 70–80 percent as compared to traditional nuclear plants.
“By utilizing Earth’s natural geology, the design achieves several breakthroughs,” Interesting Engineering wrote in a Wednesday report. “At a depth of one mile, a column of water naturally provides the 160 atmospheres of pressure required for the reactor to function, which eliminates the need for massive and expensive surface pressure vessels.”
The drilling methods used for this approach would also be used to store spent nuclear fuel deep in the Earth. This is a critical advantage as compared to other microreactor models. A Stanford study found that “most small modular reactor designs will actually increase the volume of nuclear waste in need of management and disposal, by factors of 2 to 30.” The ability to store waste on-site in a similarly modular manner could provide an essential solution to a serious and growing problem.
Deep Fission says that their gravity reactors could be pivotal to meeting energy demand from AI. The stunning energy demand projections spurred by sweeping AI integration is causing a resurgence of nuclear energy development around the world. Public and private opinion is rapidly shifting in favor of the once-maligned energy source.
Even countries that had previously planned closures of their nuclear sectors have had to reconsider these strategies as energy security takes center stage in global politics. In Europe, Italy, Spain, and Denmark have all announced intentions to overturn their respective nuclear bans, and even Germany has slightly relaxed its staunch anti-nuclear stance in the European Union’s energy policy. Japan, which strongly pivoted away from nuclear energy after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, powered up a unit at the world’s largest nuclear facility just this month.
The United States, too, is making a major push to revitalize its aging and long-neglected nuclear fleet. The current administration has strongly asserted its intention to “reestablish the United States as the global leader in nuclear energy,” and has recently taken steps to relax radiation regulations to speed up the development of new domestic plants.
By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com