"If we can pull it off, we will be the first to manufacture and sell a mini-reactor," says Don Gillispie, CEO of Alternate Energy Holdings.
– Edited By Tom Lamar –
The nuclear industry is now dominated by giant electricity-generating power plants, but many of tomorrow's nuclear reactors will be small-some as Lilliputian as a refrigerator. They will power entire towns or even individual ships. Daniel T. Ingersoll, a senior program manager who studies small modular reactors at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, predicts rapid growth for these mini-nukes-and big investment opportunities. "Global demand could reach 500 to 1,000 reactors by 2040," he says.
The potential of small nuclear plants has caught the attention of everyone from Bill Gates to giant Babcock & Wilcox. But perhaps the furthest along is Hyperion (http://www.hyperionpowergeneration.com/) , a company spun out of Los Alamos National Laboratory. Hyperion is now working with Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc. (www.aehipower.com) and the China National Nuclear Corporation to turn Hyperion's innovative design into a tangible product that could be on the market by the end of 2011. "If we can pull it off, we will be the first to manufacture and sell a mini-reactor," says Don Gillispie, CEO of Alternate Energy Holdings and a 45-year veteran of the nuclear industry.
Gillispie is now in China negotiating an agreement with the CNNC and its subsidiaries to assess and construct the Hyperion design-following up on an existing MOU with the Chinese.
Gillispie already had an agreement with the Chinese to build a larger reactor for sale around the world as a power source for electricity and desalination. But during the discussions that led to that agreement, he learned that the Chinese were searching for a substitute for the diesel engines in cargo vessels. "They asked if I could help find a small reactor to use in their ships," Gillispie says.
He discovered such a reactor at Hyperion. "It's a miniature version of the reactors we use today, very cleverly designed by Los Alamos scientists," he explains. The basic module is completely sealed and safe. Hooked up to a steam turbine, it produces 25 megawatts (MWe) of electricity, enough to power about 20,000 homes. But several of the refrigerator-sized modules can be stacked together, creating 50 MWe or 75 MWe or even 100 MWe power plants. "For small island nations or small to medium-sized towns, it's an excellent source of power," says Gillispie. After ten years or so, the modular reactor is simply removed and replaced with a new unit, so there are no problems or issues for the owners with spent fuel. "It's just like buying a refrigerator," Gillispie says. "People love the idea."
Gillispie has gotten strong interest in the reactor from more than 100 potential customers, ranging from India and Qatar to the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, which has actually passed a law specifying that Hyperion product will be used as a source of energy. "That's how confident they are in the Hyperion reactor," Gillispie says.
In order to sell the mini-reactors in the U.S, Hyperion needs to get approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Gillispie expects that to happen within a few years, but in the meantime, there will be a good business marketing the product elsewhere. "We'll make money selling the mini-reactors outside the U.S. before it's approved here," he explains.
The cost? Some experts believe that a 25 MW mini-reactor will be a somewhat pricey $100 million. Gillispie expects the price tag to be about half that, making it affordable-yet still profitable for the companies that succeed in the marketplace. There's quite a bit of competition, Gillispie acknowledges, but Hyperion is in the lead in the race to be the first on the market. Plus, "I think one advantage we have is that we can vary the size of the unit," he explains. "That makes it much more attractive."
About Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc. (http://www.AlternateEnergyHoldings.com) — Alternate Energy Holdings develops and markets innovative clean energy sources. The company is the nation's only independent nuclear power plant developer seeking to build new power plants in multiple non-nuclear states. Other projects include Energy Neutral (TM), which removes energy demands from homes and businesses (http://www.EnergyNeutralinc.com) Colorado Energy Park (nuclear and solar generation), and Green World Water (TM), which assists developing countries with nuclear reactors for power generation (http://www.GreenWorld-H2O.com), production of potable water and other suitable applications. AEHI China, headquartered in Beijing, develops joint ventures to produce nuclear plant components and consults on nuclear power.