U.S. to restart construction of N-reactors / Toshiba arm to deliver new model

[IDemo]

After 34 years, the United States is expected to resume construction of nuclear reactors by the end of the year, and Toshiba Corp. will export turbine equipment for the reactors to that country early next month, it was learned Saturday.

According to sources, construction will begin by the year-end on the Nos. 3 and 4 reactors of the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia and the Nos. 2 and 3 reactors of the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Generating Station in South Carolina.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is expected to shortly approve the construction and operation of the reactors, which have been designed by Westinghouse Electric Co., a subsidiary of Toshiba.

The U.S. decision to resume construction of reactors is expected to pave the way for Japan to export related equipment to the United States, observers said.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T111126003439.htm

[txlibdem]

1. Nuclear power plants are one of the zero-carbon energy sources we need to end fossil addiction

I'm all for it (for now) but when the 6 companies that are seeking approval for SMR's or the LFTR (Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor) get approval to start construction I will be on the picket lines of the Boiling Water or Light Water plants.

I do like the claimed 72 hour cool down even in the event of total coolant failure but we will eventually need to move beyond Admiral Rickover's mandated Uranium reactors and SMR's are a start... LFTRs use no Uranium (except as a one-time startup fuel -- but that could be replaced by lasers, which I prefer).