Texas project advances toward commercial molten-salt reactor with new engineering work

Canadian nuclear technology company Terrestrial Energy has started engineering and licensing work for a planned molten-salt reactor at Texas A&M-RELLIS in Texas, marking a step towards a future commercial nuclear plant at the site. The company has brought in Zachry Group to provide civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering services for the project. The work will support Terrestrial Energy’s design, development, and licensing activities for its Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR). The companies said work under the engineering services agreement has already begun at the Texas A&M-RELLIS campus in Bryan, Texas. The effort will focus on site characterization and other engineering work needed as Terrestrial Energy moves towards a future construction permit application with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The project is part of Terrestrial Energy’s wider effort to develop its Generation IV IMSR technology, a reactor design that uses molten salt and is intended to provide both electricity and high-temperature industrial heat. Reactor plans move forward The agreement brings Zachry’s nuclear engineering and construction expertise into the project. Zachry will support work covering the plant’s civil structures and mechanical and electrical systems, while also contributing its NQA-1 nuclear quality programme. “This agreement adds an important engineering partner to our work at Texas A&M-RELLIS. Zachry’s depth of nuclear engineering and construction experience strengthens the technical rigor we bring to our site characterization and licensing activities. It also builds on a working relationship that has developed over several years and reflects the caliber of partners we are assembling to support our commercial pipeline in Texas,” said Simon Irish, CEO of Terrestrial Energy. The work follows agreements Terrestrial Energy signed with The Texas A&M University System in June. Those agreements gave the company control of about 77 acres at the Texas A&M-RELLIS campus and exclusive access to the site for research and development activities. The site agreements allow Terrestrial Energy to carry out site characterisation and environmental evaluations as it prepares for the regulatory process. The company has said the work is intended to support a future application for an NRC construction permit for a commercial IMSR plant. Molten salt targets industry Terrestrial Energy’s IMSR is designed as a small modular reactor that could supply dispatchable electricity and high-temperature heat. The company is also targeting industrial uses beyond conventional power generation, including petrochemical and chemical production. The reactor design could also be used to provide power for data centers, an area where demand for reliable electricity is growing rapidly. However, the Texas project is currently focused on engineering, site work, and licensing rather than reactor construction. “We’re pleased to support Terrestrial Energy’s development and licensing activities at Texas A&M-RELLIS. This collaboration supports the vision of establishing RELLIS as a leading center for advanced nuclear development, bringing innovative reactor technologies and engineering expertise together to accelerate new energy solutions,” said Ingmar Sterzing, President, Nuclear Construction, Zachry Group. Terrestrial Energy aims to build and commission its first IMSR plants in the early 2030s, subject to regulatory approvals and the completion of development and construction work. The company is developing the reactor as a Generation IV nuclear technology using standard-assay low-enriched uranium fuel and molten salt, with the goal of producing clean electricity and industrial heat. Recommended ArticlesGet the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.With over a decade-long career in journalism, Neetika Walter has worked with The Economic Times, ANI, and Hindustan Times, covering politics, business, technology, and the clean energy sector. Passionate about contemporary culture, books, poetry, and storytelling, she brings depth and insight to her writing. When she isn’t chasing stories, she’s likely lost in a book or enjoying the company of her dogs.