TerraPower in deal with Meta for eight Natrium 345 MW nuclear plants

jcgrillo

> I don't believe you.[0] [0] https://c.tenor.com/wuKJbik2LcEAAAAM/anchorman-ron-burgundy....

gopalv

The name makes me think it is a molten salt reactor, but it uses liquid sodium. Still aptly named. I was hoping the Thorium molten salt ones with atmospheric pressure vessels would pick up pace thanks to this boom in power demand or Helion would arrive on the scene right on time for this.

ck2

Thorium reactors are the future, safest possible PBS Space Time explainer * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElulEJruhRQ

MichaelNolan

> Under this commercial agreement, Meta will provide funding to support the deployment of the Natrium plants, with delivery of initial units as early as 2032 The wording there implies some upfront money from Meta, and that this isn’t just a PPA like we normally see. But with no numbers attached it’s hard to know if it’s a serious investment or just PR fluff.

pico303

Their first demonstration reactor is scheduled to go online in 2031. But they’re going to build 8 production reactors, with all the regulatory hurdles, in any reasonable length of time? Right. The headline should probably be, “Meta invests in nuclear startup” and leave it there. My guess is this deal is quietly swept under the rug when the first reactor fails to go fully online by 2032.

holoduke

When I read this I am more convinced that Europe is done. With leaders like Kaja Kallis, Rutte and Ursula it's so blatantly visible that these people can't think further than one minute. It's really time for a breakup so countries are no longer chained to insanity. They are destroying themselves.

Octoth0rpe

> A dual Natrium reactor site can provide 690 MW of reliable 24/7 365 power Given that they haven’t actually built one, asserting the performance seems inappropriate, _especially_ the uptime which IIRC is far, far higher than is typical for proven designs, let alone a new one.

kamranjon

Does anyone understand how Meta is able to spend so much money on AI with basically no AI product to speak of? Especially after sinking billions of dollars into a failed VR product? I just don't really understand why they are investing in data centers, I don't know of any actual product they offer that anyone is seriously considering using in the space.

ChrisArchitect

News from January OP; Discussion on this and related Meta nuclear moves at the time: Meta announces nuclear energy projects https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46578497

julcol

yes, and hopefully all of them will be set up in his garden and his children kindergarten. Because why somebody else should bear the risk of a nuclear disaster. This is nonsense. State/society is the last backstop, the last resort insurer in nuclear risk. Why shall we insure nuclear risks so Mark gets richer with more clicks ? again socializing the costs and privatizing de profits. Not in my backyard.

baq

Capex bubble anyone? Meta should be a good buy somewhere in $150-$200 area. I guess.

nelsondev

> The eight 345 MW advanced sodium cooled reactors would provide Meta with up to 2.8 GW of carbon-free, baseload energy. Each reactor comes with the Natrium technology’s innovative built-in energy storage system providing the capacity to boost total output to 4 GW of power. For energy storage, is it storing the hot water, or using batteries to store generated electricity?

snigacookie

So what? The tech doesn't work well and the contractors have no knowledge of government contracting.

doodlebugging

I think it is a bad idea to allow Meta to participate in nuclear reactor operations. Nuclear reactors and other power infrastructure should be utility-owned and managed under clear regulations designed to eliminate the possibility of control by outside interests who might, or would, be tempted to unload byproducts suitable for production of weapons to anyone who had the money to buy them. They should be prohibited from spinning off any part of their operations into weapons development and prohibited from investing in any entity that is involved in weapons production. I like the idea of a network of thorium reactors. I don't want to see any part of that network owned or controlled by people that we already know place their own selfish interests above everything else. Therefore I guess I am suggesting that high net worth individuals should be prohibited from all investments in or operations involving weapons production. Maybe I just don't trust that guy and think that he would gladly offload the responsibility of waste disposal or processing on anyone in a backroom deal that we don't learn about until he has been providing materials to refine and construct weapons to individuals who will gladly employ them in attacks. I'm not paranoid, I just hate assholes.

pornel

Even if this flops, it's still better to lose money on this than the Metaverse.

fsuts

Meta have recently appointed a new president, ex Wall Street with connections to sovereign wealth and also she is married to a republican politician Financial press saying they are exploring all means of raising large sums of money for AI investment Also rumours Meta is going to start a Cloud business.

victorbjorklund

At least we might get some good things from the AI bubble.

polnurfer

There goes more fresh water. Fresh water is the new global warming.

jgord

imo, theres a reasonable chance we will have functioning fusion reactors before these are turned on.

dmix

> DOE Awards $2.7 Billion for Uranium Enrichment Why are they getting so much money for this? Isn't there private capital with Meta involved? > The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $2.7 billion to strengthen domestic enrichment services over the next ten years. The historic investment expands U.S. capacity for low-enriched uranium (LEU) and jumpstarts new supply chains and innovations for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) to create American jobs and usher in the nation’s nuclear renaissance. hmm, seems like a pretty steep investment. Hopefully it returns some tax money