Mini Nuclear Power Plants

How do mini nuclear power plants sound to you? A company says they already have 100 firm order for their mini nuke plants even though they will not be done for the next five years. These plants will be buried under the ground and contain no moving parts. The power generation should be sufficient for 20,000 house holds. This could help with rising energy costs and provide power to areas of the world where there is or will be a deficiency.


http://www.guardian.co.uk
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/09/miniature-nuclear-reactors-los-alamos

"Nuclear power plants smaller than a garden shed and able to power 20,000 homes will be on sale within five years, say scientists at Los Alamos, the US government laboratory which developed the first atomic bomb.

The miniature reactors will be factory-sealed, contain no weapons-grade material, have no moving parts and will be nearly impossible to steal because they will be encased in concrete and buried underground.

The US government has licensed the technology to Hyperion, a New Mexico-based company which said last week that it has taken its first firm orders and plans to start mass production within five years. 'Our goal is to generate electricity for 10 cents a watt anywhere in the world,' said John Deal, chief executive of Hyperion. 'They will cost approximately $25m [£13m] each. For a community with 10,000 households, that is a very affordable $250 per home.'"