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Construction of US’ first fourth-gen nuclear reactor ‘Hermes’ begins


Hermes is the first and only fourth generation reactor to be approved for construction by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Molten fluoride salts have excellent chemical stability and tremendous capacity for transferring heat at high temperature and retaining fission products that might be released from fuel. The reactors have uniquely large safety margins based on the selected combination of fuel and coolant, which allows emergency cooling to be driven by fundamental physics rather than engineered systems. Upon completion, the plant was expected to generate 20 billion kilowatt-hours per year and increase heating supply area by 20 million square meters to benefit 600,000 local residents.

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