TerraPower Awards Natrium® Equipment Contract to Idaho-Based Premier Technology

October 3, 2024

TerraPower has awarded a major supplier contract to support the Natrium Reactor¹ Demonstration Project.

Bellevue, WA – October 3, 2024 - TerraPower, a nuclear innovation company, announced today that it has awarded Idaho-based company Premier Technology, Inc., a contract for the design, testing, fabrication and delivery of the sodium-air heat exchanger (AHX) and the air stack structures and equipment (ASE) for the Natrium Reactor Demonstration Project currently under construction in Kemmerer, Wyoming.

The AHX and ASE components are part of the intermediate air cooling (IAC) system and play a vital role in the Natrium plant’s passive safety systems and essential functions. This is the largest single procurement award to date for the Natrium demonstration project. The Natrium technology features a 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt-based energy storage system. The Natrium demonstration project is being constructed near a retiring coal facility in Wyoming and will be a fully functioning commercial power plant. Non-nuclear construction on the project began in June 2024. In addition to working with Premier Technology in Idaho, TerraPower has an ongoing partnership with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) across multiple projects. INL is supporting the Natrium design by leveraging a diverse range of unique facilities and capabilities to accelerate fuel development and licensing as part of a cooperative research agreement.

“Since the inception of the Natrium technology, TerraPower has been committed to working with other leaders in the nuclear industry as we bring this first-of-a-kind plant to market,” said Tara Neider, senior vice president and project director for the Natrium Reactor Demonstration Project. “Idaho has a robust supply chain and extensive nuclear experience from research to production; we are excited for the opportunity to work with Premier Technology and bring their high-quality manufacturing capabilities to our project.”

Premier Technology, Inc. is an industry leading provider of nuclear grade specialty equipment. Over the past 25 years, Premier has completed more than 1,000 projects under nuclear quality assurance programs. With extensive experience supporting a wide range of industries including commercial nuclear and the Department of Energy, Premier Technology has demonstrated its ability to deliver at the highest standard, and their expertise will be critical in the successful design, manufacturing, and installation of the IAC System for the Natrium Reactor Demonstration Project.

“Premier Technology is pleased to be a partner with TerraPower on this historical project. Our company was founded almost 30 years ago knowing that a new generation of nuclear reactors and nuclear technology would be needed in our world today. It’s been the driving force for every decision, to position our company to support this global mission. We believe in the technology and we believe in TerraPower. We are ready to support this important project,” said Doug Sayer, founder of Premier Technology, Inc.

Future Request for Proposal (RFP) opportunities for the Natrium Reactor Demonstration Project can be found on TerraPower’s website: https://terrapower.com/suppliers/

The process of awarding contracts for the project is ongoing. TerraPower will continue to provide updates as additional contracts are awarded.

About TerraPower

TerraPower is a leading nuclear innovation company that strives to improve the world through nuclear energy and science. Since it was founded by Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries, TerraPower has emerged as an incubator and developer of ideas and technologies that offer energy independence, environmental sustainability, medical advancement and other cutting-edge opportunities. It accepts and tackles some of the world’s most difficult challenges. Behind each of its innovations and programs, TerraPower actively works to bring together the strengths and experiences of the world’s public and private sectors to answer pressing global needs.

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[1] TerraPower and GE-Hitachi technology