Alaska to simplify licensing of nuclear microreactors

The US state of Alaska has adopted new regulations to streamline the licensing process for siting microreactors. The new regulations waive some of the requirements for siting large reactors and will take effect in August this year.

Construction of any future nuclear facility in Alaska requires both state and federal permits. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) oversees civil nuclear safety, and all approval activities related to a new facility fall under its remit. The state of Alaska now has the authority to issue permits for the siting of nuclear facilities.

Previously, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation could not issue a permit to site a micro-modular reactor (MMR) unless the site had already been licensed for a nuclear facility with the approval of local authorities.

The new rules remove the requirement for a site to have been previously licensed for a micro-modular reactor. The new regulation defines a micro-modular reactor as a facility that does not generate more than 50 MW. In “unorganized” areas without their own local government, the legislature will issue the siting permit. The draft new rules can be viewed here.

The new rules specify the following minimum distances for micro-modular reactors:

• 823 metres from homes
• 92 metres from the boundaries of national parks, reserves and storm-prone areas
• 30 metres from a public road or railway track

A nuclear facility may not be built in a drinking water protection area. The rules also specify requirements for flood zones. At a site with a history of flooding, the operator must demonstrate that the facility would not be destroyed in a 100-year flood.

"The changes give communities greater control over meeting local energy needs. They also lay the groundwork for developers to use reliable, emissions-free nuclear energy to supply remote communities. Rural Alaska currently depends on diesel generators. A transition to nuclear energy could mean both lower energy prices and cleaner air. It is important to involve all parties early. We will now give local authorities the opportunity—or require them—to participate in decisions about siting new nuclear facilities. This is essential to the success of these technologies in Alaska," state of Alaska representatives said.

Alaska and its first micro-modular reactor projects

Two MMR construction projects in Alaska are already in the planning stage. One facility is expected to be built at Eielson Air Force Base, at the Valdez site. The Copper Valley Electric Association (CVEA) is also involved in the projects.

The US Air Force selected Eielson Air Force Base as the preferred site for the first demonstration micro-modular reactor. In September 2022, the department, in partnership with the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, issued a request for proposals to build an MMR at the base.

The contract stipulates that the reactor will be owned and operated by its operator. The power plant operator will sell electricity to the US government under a long-term fixed-price contract. The facility is expected to provide electricity and steam and meet the base's 5 MWe requirements. The current plan calls for the facility to begin operating in 2027.

CVEA is working on the second project with Ultra Safe Nuclear. The two companies have signed an agreement to examine the possibility of building Alaska's first civilian commercial micro-modular reactor. CVEA currently provides electricity and heat to more than 3,800 customers.

Micro-modular reactor projects are also being developed in Canada, where they are expected to supply electricity and heat to remote areas. Westinghouse is also working on a similar concept for a simple reactor, offering its eVinci design. It also meets the requirements for Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, but no construction date has yet been set, either there or in Canada, where a pre-licensing design review is already under way.