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Current Projects

Small Modular Nuclear Reactors

Advanced small modular reactors are a new type of nuclear reactor being designed, that are more scalable and have more refined safety features, than the commercial nuclear reactors currently operating today. The State of Nebraska allocated $1 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to complete a siting study for small modular reactors.

On January 6, 2023, NPPD's application for funding was approved by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. NPPD is beginning the process of study sites that could have the potential to host advanced small modular nuclear reactors.

The first phase of the siting study involves doing a Nebraska-wide assessment to determine the 15 best locations for siting small modular reactors based on geographic data and preliminary licensing criteria. Some of the key criteria being considered will be access to water and transmission lines among many others. This phase is estimated to be completed in spring of 2023.

The second phase of the study will perform a more in-depth evaluation and will focus on reducing the number of sites from 15 to four. This effort includes detailed field environmental and constructability evaluations based on criteria used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) when licensing nuclear plants. This phase of the study is estimated to take approximately a year to complete.

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