Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

NRC to Issue Permit for Molten Salt Reactor at Abilene Christian University

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/14/24

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced its intention to complete a safety assessment and construction permit issuance by Sept. 30 for a Molten Salt Research Reactor (MSRR) funded by Natura Resources on the campus of Abilene Christian University, according to a news release. The MSSR is the first liquid-fueled molten salt reactor design that the NRC has ever reviewed, and an environmental assessment was completed in March.

The Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Lab (NEXT) Lab at ASU partnered with the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, and the Georgia Institute of Technology—alongside the Natura Resources Research Alliance—toward the licensing and deployment of the reactor.

“The environmental assessment and upcoming completion of the safety evaluation for a construction permit are significant steps forward in the first deployment of the Natura MSR-1 system,” said Natura Resources founder and president Doug Robison. “This deployment at ACU will not only demonstrate successful licensure of a liquid-fueled molten salt reactor but will provide critical operational data that will help us meet the world's growing energy needs.”

The construction permit, expected in September, will allow the team to move forward with construction and deployment. The reactor serves as the first deployment of the Natura MSR-1, a one-megawatt thermal molten salt reactor system.

“This groundbreaking research has applications not only for clean energy but for clean water and the production of needed medical isotopes. We're thrilled to see how this technology will bless people around the world,” said ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Georgia State University Opens New Research Tower

    Georgia State University in Atlanta, Ga., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new, nine-story, 155,000-square-foot Research Tower, according to university news. Amenities include academic classrooms, a large lecture space, teaching labs, faculty research space, and the uppermost floors reserved for future expansion.

  • Lawrence Group Announces Three New Hires

    Integrated planning and design firm Lawrence Group, based in St. Louis, Mo., recently welcomed three new staff members, according to a news release.

  • St. Lucie County, Fla., Breaks Ground on New K–8 School

    St. Lucie Public Schools in St. Lucie County, Fla., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new K–8 school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., for the design of the upcoming Ft. Pierce K–8 School, which comprises six buildings covering 215,000 square feet.

  • Wenger Names New Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts, Controls

    Wenger Corporation, which provides products and solutions for music and theater education, performing arts and athletic storage, recently announced the hiring of a new Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts and Controls.