How one company plans to put a nuclear microreactor at Buckley
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Radiant Industries wants to become the first American company to successfully build a new generation of small nuclear reactors set for eventual deployment in Aurora.
Why it matters: A decision tied to President Trump's push to expand nuclear power could put a small but potent reactor near hundreds of backyards in Colorado's third-largest city.
State of play: The Department of the Air Force last month selected the California-based company to install a small reactor at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora.
- The goal is to provide uninterrupted power to the base, Radiant's chief nuclear officer Rita Baranwal tells Axios. The unit would be portable and designed to withstand extreme weather.
The latest: Radiant plans to begin testing its reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory this summer, a milestone that would make it the first U.S. company to reach this stage, Baranwal adds.
- The company plans to gradually build up the reactor's power capacity, with the eventual goal of generating continuous power for 150 hours.
- The federal government wants a portable nuclear reactor operational by 2030 or sooner at three potential sites, including Aurora.
Threat level: The public's perception of nuclear power often centers on the risk of catastrophic nuclear meltdowns.
Reality check: The U.S. has never experienced a full-scale commercial nuclear meltdown.
- Baranwal says the fuel used by Radiant's model is "meltdown proof."
How it works: Called TRISO particles, this fuel source uses tiny amounts of uranium encased in layers of carbon and silicon carbide, or roughly the size of a poppy seed.
- "It's really important that we have a type of fuel that provides a lot of safety and defense," Baranwal tells us.
The intrigue: Some Aurora residents welcomed the announcement, including one man who called it a "cost of living next to a military base."
- It's a markedly different response from the backlash to plans last year for a similar reactor at Denver International Airport, an idea later abandoned after public outcry.
The other side: Costs are a concern — although maybe not for the world's richest military, where "cost is no object," former University of Colorado's Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute fellow Chuck Kutscher tells Axios.
- Even small reactors may not be cost-effective for the amount of power they produce, Kutscher said.
- A mobile reactor deployed in a war zone — one scenario envisioned for Radiant's technology — could become a target for attacks or misuse by adversaries, he adds.
The bottom line: Kutscher says nuclear power has maintained a strong safety record in the U.S.
- But the industry still faces unresolved challenges, including how to safely store radioactive waste long-term, something the U.S. has not effectively solved.