ML22109A022
| ML22109A022 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Hermes File:Kairos Power icon.png |
| Issue date: | 04/18/2022 |
| From: | Public Commenter Public Commenter |
| To: | NRC/NMSS/DREFS |
| NRC/NMSS/DREFS | |
| References | |
| 87FR9394 | |
| Download: ML22109A022 (4) | |
Text
From:
Alan Ahn <aahn@thirdway.org>
Sent:
Monday, April 18, 2022 10:46 PM To:
KairosHermes-CPEIS Resource Cc:
Josh Freed; Lindsey Walter; Ryan Norman
Subject:
[External_Sender] Comment Submission from Third Way: Docket ID NRC-2021-0193 Attachments:
Third Way Comment Submission - Docket ID NRC-2021-0193.pdf
Dear Mr. Erwin:
Please see the attached written comment from Third Way in response to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions scoping process to gather information necessary to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate the environmental impacts for a construction permit (CP) requested by Kairos Power (Docket ID NRC-2021-0193).
We appreciate the opportunity to comment on this important issue. Please contact us if you have any questions or require clarification on any matters addressed in this comment.
Sincerely, Alan Ahn Alan Ahn Senior Resident Fellow for the Climate and Energy Program l Third Way 213.268.0117 mobile 202.775.0430 fax aahn@thirdway.org
Federal Register Notice:
87FR9394 Comment Number:
14 Mail Envelope Properties (BN8PR18MB26914CD827C9CD2D88BBA2D2A4F29)
Subject:
[External_Sender] Comment Submission from Third Way: Docket ID NRC-2021-0193 Sent Date:
4/18/2022 10:46:03 PM Received Date:
4/18/2022 10:46:26 PM From:
Alan Ahn Created By:
aahn@thirdway.org Recipients:
"Josh Freed" <JFreed@thirdway.org>
Tracking Status: None "Lindsey Walter" <lwalter@thirdway.org>
Tracking Status: None "Ryan Norman" <rnorman@thirdway.org>
Tracking Status: None "KairosHermes-CPEIS Resource" <KairosHermes-CPEIS.Resource@nrc.gov>
Tracking Status: None Post Office:
BN8PR18MB2691.namprd18.prod.outlook.com Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 755 4/18/2022 10:46:26 PM Third Way Comment Submission - Docket ID NRC-2021-0193.pdf 131642 Options Priority:
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1025 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 400
- Washington, D.C. 20036
- 202.384.1700
- 202.775.0430 fax April 18, 2022 Regulations.gov Docket ID: NRC-2021-0193 NRC Licensing Docket No. 50-7513 Office of Administration Mail Stop: TWFN-7-A60M U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff Submitted via KairosHermes-CPEIS@nrc.gov
Subject:
Comment from Third Way on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions Scoping of Hermes Environmental Impact Statement (Docket ID NRC-NRC-2021-0193)
Dear Mr. Kenneth T. Erwin:
The following is a written comment from Third Ways Climate and Energy Program on environmental issues related to Kairos Powers construction permit application for its Hermes low-power demonstration reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Third Way is a national think tank based in Washington, DC that champions center-left ideas and policies. The Climate and Energy Program at Third Way designs and advocates for policies with the aim of enabling the U.S. and the rest of the world to achieve the fastest and fairest path to net-zero emissions.
Consistent with the views of a growing number of prominent experts within the climate science community and the current executive administration, we believe that nuclear energy will play an essential role in meeting global climate objectivesgiven the vast amounts of low-carbon energy sources that will need to be deployed in order to meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions within a very short timeframe. In particular, we believe advanced reactor technologies, such as Kairos Powers fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor, have the potential to be rapidly deployed at scale and provide the abundant safe, clean, and reliable energy needed to combat climate changenot just power, but also industrial heat, desalination, etc.
Innovative advanced reactor designs, such as the scaled Hermes reactor, benefit from a legacy of technological breakthroughs and adaptations centered around safety and efficiency. The Kairos Power demonstration represents a new generation of nuclear reactors that are safer, more economical, and have even lower adverse environmental impact than their predecessors (which already have overwhelmingly positive environmental impact). These novel advanced reactor technologies possess inherent attributes that make their energy systems more resilient to hypothetical accidents and external hazards than ever before.
The reality is that the United States simply wont meet its climate commitments without an expansion of nuclear generation capacity. Furthermore, in the opposite scenario of contraction in nuclear capacity, authoritative analyses have shown that the output is overwhelmingly replaced by fossil fuel generation which contravenes efforts to reach climate commitments and adds to harsh climate impacts. While no energy generation is completely free of environmental impacts, nuclear power deployment has significant environmental benefits. Nuclear power generation is free of carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change and curbs the overall growth of these hazardous fossil fuel emissions that present direct health risks for local communities.
Regulations.gov Docket ID: NRC-2021-0193 NRC Licensing Docket No. 50-7513 Third Way
- 2 Therefore, we urge the NRC to implement a comprehensive view of nuclear energys environmental implications in developing its environmental assessment process by taking into account nuclear energys contribution to reducing climate and non-climate emissions. Further, we advise that the NRC apply this perspective in its review of the environmental impact statement for Kairos Powers Hermes demonstration reactor, as well as keeping its environmental review as efficient as possible by keeping the scope of the review focused.
Sincerely, Josh Freed Senior Vice President Climate and Energy Program Third Way Alan Ahn Senior Resident Fellow Climate and Energy Program Third Way Ryan Norman Policy Advisor Climate and Energy Program Third Way