Town hall touches on the potential of nuclear energy in Alaska

The answer, she said, is that it has potential, but the technology hasn’t advanced far enough to be commercially viable.

“It’s not here yet but I think it’s imminent,” Holdmann said. “From that standpoint, I think it’s worth educating ourselves about this.”

She added she’s not sure herself about whether it would be the right choice for Alaska “but it’s worth keeping an eye on.”

“The one takeaway I hope everyone gets out of this presentation is understanding there’s a significant difference between conventional nuclear energy and advanced reactor technologies that are the future of the nuclear energy industry,” Holdmann said.

Nuclear power accounts for 20% of the nation’s power supply.

She said microreactor technology has matured over 10 years, with at least 10 companies researching or piloting reactors of less than 10 megawatts. A handful of companies are researching larger sources, with average around 50-megawatts.

“Think of it as a horse race, where some can easily overtake any other at any point in time,” Holdmann said.

The closest model of benefit to Alaska, a 50-megawatt modular system developed by NuScale, was only federally licensed in 2020, and might be commercially viable by 2025.

Most conventional nuclear power plants produce far more power, with the smallest, R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant in New York, generating 582 megawatts during the summer in 2021; Arizona’s three-reactor Palo Verde plant produced 3,937 megawatts.

“Something like that intended to replace conventional nuclear reactors with a bunch a smaller nuclear reactors with less material in any one place,” Holdmann

Others are still in different stages of development, including the smaller single module 10-megawatt reactors.

“Those of interest to the Alaska market at this point in time,” Holdmann said. “We aren’t going to be installing any 50-megawatt in Alaska any time soon.”

Single-module microreactors are targeted as being factory-built and transported to the site “fully ready to operate.”

The advantages, she added, include semi-autonomous operation, a small footprint and 10-year period before needing to be refueled. In terms of safety, the technology wouldn’t require water to keep the reactor cool.

“It decouples the need for having a reactor close to a water source, which has been the case for conventional reactor technology and reduces the potential for any environmental contamination through the water,” Holdmann said.

Alaska’s nuclear discussion not new

Holdmann said nuclear power isn’t new to Alaska. Fort Greely operated the state’s lone nuclear power plant, SM-1A for a decade, from 1962 to 1972 before the Army took it offline. The federal government began efforts to completely decommission and dismantle it in 2021.

Holdmann said there’s a distinct difference between the proposed microgrids of the near future and SM-1A: the latter is similar to reactor technologies used on Navy nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers.

Galena would have been the site of a 10-megawatt nuclear “battery” site as a demonstration project but never became reality.

“It forced the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to think through the process of what steps and information would be required for a community site license related to a small reactor,” Holdmann said.

The technology also revolutionized safety features, including a passive cooling system and repackaging the system’s nuclear fuel source. One system, for example, uses encapsulated uranium the size of a poppyseed.

“It’s a big unknown because we haven’t actually deployed any of them,” Holdmann said. “We don’t know everything we need to in order to deploy these kinds of technologies in the field … we are basically reinventing an entire industry.”

Alaska’s future

The United States Air Force is spearheading a pilot project for Eielson Air Force Base to determine if microreactors can address the needs of remote military bases and forward operating bases. The project has a 2027 debut, but the Defense Department hasn’t released a request for proposals yet.

Copper Valley Electric Association in Valdez, in partnership with Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC), launched a feasibility study to look at non-military options for nuclear microreactors, but it’s still in its early stages.

Holdmann said she couldn’t speak specifically agreement between the utility and USNC.

“I do think they are going to take a look at all the potential use cases,” Holdmann said. “In that case, Copper Valley and Valdez are 100% hydropower at certain times of the year. They will be looking at whether they can shut the microreactor down, or use it for industrial processes.”

In addition to support from Alaska’s congressional delegation, Alaska lawmakers and Gov. Mike Dunleavy adding nuclear microgrids to its power supply stable.

The state streamlined approval processes for any future microreactor under 50 megawatts, allowing local jurisdictions such as a borough to approve a site permit. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission still retains overall nuclear reactor licensing approval.

Being feasible and safe, Holdmann said, doesn’t equate to being economically viable.

A community like Nome, which relies on diesel power sources, would benefit from it, she said.

Holdmann said renewable sources of energy — such as wind and solar — will play a big part, but something needs to provide baseload, or consistent, sources of energy.

“Nuclear power can provide a potentially important component of that,” Holdmann said.

For the full town hall recording, visit acep.uaf.edu.