Alaska Implements Nuclear Location Restrictions as State Heralds Emerging Micro Nuclear Technology

A cruise ships sails past an Alaskan glacier. (Russ Heinl/Dreamstime/TNS)

Alaska is looking to regulate an up-and-coming sector of micro nuclear reactors while also opening the state to become an early adopter of the emerging technology, which could prove useful in remote areas of the state.

Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, a Republican, recently signed a package of regulations outlining where these reactors could be built in Alaska, a timely response given the U.S. Department of the Air Force’s (DAF) plans to build the state’s first microreactor at Eielson Air Force Base (AFB).

The rules also provide guidelines for possible future projects, such as one being considered by a local power company about 100 miles northeast of Anchorage.

The recently enacted regulations focus on location restrictions and do not delve into nuclear safety, leaving that jurisdiction to federal regulators and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Guidelines for an Emerging Industry

Locations deemed unsuitable for reactor construction include residential zones, national parks, storm surge-prone coastal areas, public roads, and areas earmarked for drinking water supply.

The Governor of Alaska, Michael Dunleavy, in Washington, on Oct. 29, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

The rules signed by Ms. Dahlstrom on Monday do not address safety-related issues but are a necessary step to the industry taking root in the state after Gov. Dunleavy signed a law last year regulating microreactors.

The law signed by Mr. Dunleavy addressed “nuclear facility siting and microreactor location requirements.”

The legislation simplified the path for companies to install microreactors in the state by waiving certain requirements imposed on larger facilities, reducing potential bureaucratic hurdles preventing innovation in the nuclear energy sector.

The new regulations provide a further path to the industry and “do not regulate any aspect of radioactive or nuclear safety, which is preempted by federal law and exclusively regulated by the federal government.”

Site approvals from local municipal governments are mandatory, and the Alaska Legislature must approve sites located in more remote areas outside an organized borough.

Air Force Plans

DAF and various Alaskan organizations are piloting (pdf) the exploration and implementation of microreactor technology, highlighting their potential for remote and off-grid locations that have a need for stable, reliable energy.

The DAF, in cooperation with the Air Force Office of Energy Assurance and other stakeholders, launched a pilot project in 2021 to explore the development and use of a nuclear microreactor at the Eielson AFB.

The base was strategically chosen due to its need for energy resilience, limited access to clean energy, and existing energy infrastructure.

The initiative aims to provide the base with a reliable, safe, and clean energy source, thereby ensuring mission assurance.

An F-22 Raptor takes off from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (US Air Force)

The project timeline spans from the initial Request for Information (RFI) back in September 2020 to the intended commencement of commercial operation in 2027. The nuclear microreactor is planned to undergo pre-operational testing in 2026, marking a critical step toward the broader adoption of the technology.

Microreactor Technology

Microreactors are a unique solution to energy needs due to their compact size and transportability.

“Micronuclear technology has a potential role to play in providing low-cost, reliable power for communities, remote villages and resource development projects,” Dunleavy said at the signing of the nuclear advancement bill last year.

They can generate up to 20 megawatts of power, the governor said, making them suitable for communities, remote villages, and resource development projects that require a reliable, low-cost power source.

For example, the Eielson AFB microreactor is intended to replace an aged coal-fired power and heat plant, producing up to 5 megawatts.

Challenges and Pushback

Embracing this new technology isn’t without its challenges. The proposed regulations have faced opposition from organizations and individuals concerned about the potential dangers posed by nuclear power.

These concerns have been compounded by the notion that Alaska is being used as a testing ground for experimental technology.

Pamela Miller, executive director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics, said her group testified against the bill last year, according to the Alaska Beacon.

“It’s really a false solution,” Miller said, according to the outlet. “A typical core contains the equivalent of 10 nuclear weapons’ worth of nuclear and radioactive material. The idea that it’s a microreactor has a lot of fundamental misconceptions.”

The success of these pilot projects could open up an entirely new avenue for resilient, sustainable energy worldwide.