Thursday, September 9, 2010

AIKEN, S.C. -- Savannah River Nuclear Solutions is partnering up with a private company for nuclear power research.

Today, leaders announced the program. The Hyperion Power Generation is developing a small nuclear reactor that would take up much less space than the usual reactors. They could even be made to be portable.

The Department of Energy would have to approve the reactor, but leaders say SRS is the perfect testing ground for it.

Michael S. Navetta from the Energy Park says, “If we're successful and we build this industry here, we're going to jumpstart manufacturing in and around the CSRA. Heck, if we're successful we'll even be exporting reactors from this area, through the ports of Savannah and Charleston, to the world.”

Experts say the smaller reactor is cheaper, easier to build and safer. A lot of the parts will be built in the laboratories at SRNL.