WSU Tri-Cities hosting panel on small modular reactors

Experts on nuclear energy will discuss how small modular reactors can contribute to meeting sustainable energy goals during a panel discussion on the WSU Tri-Cities campus.

The panel discussion, prompted in part by a new regional nuclear energy project, is taking place from 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, April 22 inside Room 120 of the Consolidated Information Center. The event will also be available to watch online.

Individuals interested in attending in-person or virtually are asked to register ahead of time.

Small modular reactors are a type of nuclear reactor capable of generating significant electric power without the costly infrastructure required for conventional nuclear reactor facilities. These compact reactors have tremendous potential to generate power with a minimal carbon footprint, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The panelists participating in the discussion are Corey Hines, director of WSU's Nuclear Science Center, Gregory Cullen, vice president for Energy Services and Development at Energy Northwest, and Mark Nutt, manager of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Nuclear Energy Market Sector. The event will be moderated by Kristina Lord, executive editor of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

Panelists will weigh-in on the challenges and barriers to adoption of small modular reactors, as well as highlight policy and industry perspectives on the use of these reactors and their potential impact. Attendees will also be able to pose questions to the panelists during the discussion.

Energy Northwest recently signed an agreement with Amazon to build and deploy small modular reactors in the Tri-Cities.

"By bringing in speakers from both organizations, along with representatives from WSU and PNNL, we aim to highlight the growing regional interest in SMR technology, explore opportunities for collaboration, and address community concerns related to safety, environmental impacts, nuclear waste management, and more," Yonas Demissie, assistant director of engineering and environment at WSU Tri-Cities' Institute for Northwest Energy Futures, said.

WSU is at the forefront of nuclear science research and innovation, partnering with PNNL in 2018 to launch the WSU-PNNL Nuclear Science and Technology Institute. This institute strives to better understand and control materials in radiation environments as a means of advancing the next generation of nuclear energy.

The Tri-Cities campus also hosts the Institute for Northwest Energy Futures, which is working to meet the global need for sustainable clean energy production. Efforts are also underway with Energy Northwest and Columbia Basin College to establish a small modular reactor operations simulation center inside the INEF building, which will be a critical training resource for the next generation of nuclear operators, Demissie said.

Previous discussions hosted by the institute are available to watch online.