WASHINGTON: The U.S. Department of Energy on Friday approved $1.35 billion over 10 years for the building of the first U.S. small-scale nuclear power project, giving a boost to a project struggling with cost overruns and delays.
The award, which depends on annual congressional appropriations, was announced by the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems NSE 0.00 % (UAMPS), a consortium of cities, many of which would buy power generated by NuScale Power LLC’s project.
The DOE has pumped about $280 million since 2013 into the project involving 12 small reactors, slated to be built at its Idaho National Laboratory site.
NuScale’s technology is regarded by some as a potential source of critical carbon-free power that grids will need to supplement intermittent sources like wind and solar. NuScale, based in Portland, Oregon, is majority-owned by construction and engineering firm Fluor Corp.
