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Washington Xe-100 reactor site

Coordinates: 46°27′58″N 119°18′47″W / 46.466°N 119.313°W / 46.466; -119.313
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Washington Xe-100 reactor site
Map
CountryUnited States
LocationBenton County, near Richland, Washington
Coordinates46°27′58″N 119°18′47″W / 46.466°N 119.313°W / 46.466; -119.313[1]
StatusProposed
OwnerEnergy Northwest
OperatorEnergy Northwest
Nuclear power station
Reactor typeHelium cooled HTGR
Reactor supplierX-energy
Power generation
Make and modelXe-100
Units planned12
Nameplate capacity960 MW total[2]

A number of Xe-100 small modular reactors designed by X-energy are planned to be installed for nuclear electric power production near the Columbia Generating Station in Washington by the 2030s. It would 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.[3]

Amazon.com involvement

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In late October, 2024, Amazon.com announced it would fund construction of four X-Energy reactors at Hanford.[4]

Opposition

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The site is opposed by environmental groups including Columbia River Keeper,[5] and the Oregon Conservancy Foundation who oppose new small modular reactors in general.[6] 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.[5]

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b 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.
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ "Amazon funding construction of 4 nuclear reactors on the Columbia River". Portland: KPTV. October 28, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Nuclear Energy Development Q&A: Threatens the Columbia River" (PDF). Columbia River Keeper. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  6. ^ Frank, Joshua (July 20, 2023). "The Pacific Northwest Is Experiencing an Atomic Energy Renaissance". The Nation. Retrieved July 21, 2023.

Sources

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Further reading

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