Sparta Officials Interested In Modular Nuclear Reactor To Create Energy

The idea of a modular nuclear reactor to provide electricity to the City of Sparta captured the imagination of Aldermen Thursday night.

Alderman Brian Jones said there are not any reactors of this kind being used in the country yet.

“It’s amazing,” Jones said. “They’re saying when they’re in production it’ll take about twelve months to eighteen months to actually from start to producing power. Which right now what, it’s seven years for a normal nuclear plant? Something like that, so it’s pretty amazing.”

Utility Manager Belva Bess said the Tennessee Valley Authority is conducting studies to determine the feasibility of the new technology. Mayor Jerry Lowery said the city should look into installing one of these reactors instead of building a new substation to provide the town with energy.

“We would like to go on record to say that the city of Sparta would like to find a spot for one of those modular nuclear plants, and let’s look at it for powering our city,” Lowery said.

Bess said there is a lot that would need to be done before the town would be able to have such a reactor.

“They’ve not got the efficiency down to where it’s, you know, proficient like the – you know, ninety-nine, they want ninety-nine percent reliability. It’s not giving them that right now for a lot of reasons,” Bess said.

Jones said one advantage of the reactor would be the minimal amount of waste involved with it.

“It’s the size of a forty-foot container now,” Jones said. “That’s how small those reactors are. And the Navy’s been doing it for what, forty years? Nuclear reactors on their subs and the aircraft carriers.”

“That’s forward-thinking, and it’s what we need,” Lowery said.