, still awaits both technical approvals from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission plus loans from the U.S Department of Energy.of Holtec’s loan application in March and is now weighing a more detailed request. Costs would drop, the proponents say, as more are built.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March recommended approving an environmental permit for Holtec’s proposed nuclear waste facility in New Mexico. The site would store up to 10,000 tons of uranium, for up to 40 years. Holtec has plans to expand it to 200,000 tons. The NRC is still doing a safety review.
Citing industry data, Rutgers’ Michelfelder says the small reactors have an expected construction cost of around $3,800 per kilowatt, within the range for conventional and renewable power, but just a quarter of what large nuclear plants cost. Such estimates will be more credible once a sample small plant is built and running, he added.