Public-private Partnership

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) project is exploring the potential for engaging the private sector in a parternship to make certain that the energy needs of industry are fully addressed in the development of the NGNP nuclear technology and infrastructure. The partnership will facilitate the relationship between the Department of Energy and the commercial consumers, producers and developers of energy resources. The commercial sector has shown a significant interest in developing nuclear energy for the use of industry.

The project plans to develop the technology with industry guidance and allow different sectors of industry to benefit from the process heat, hydrogen and electrical generation applications. The focus of the project is to deliver a reactor system that has commercial application.

The NGNP project will be organized to:

Enable the successful completion of the development of the NGNP technologies.
Provide a solid technical and economic foundation for the subsequent commercial deployment of high temperature gas-cooled reactors.
Enable private-sector participants to gain experience and intellectual property.
Demonstrate the ability to license, construct and operate the NGNP for commercial deployment.

Looking to potential future business models, a possible approach is the collaboration of traditional nuclear operating companies to operate the high temperature gas-cooled reactor nuclear systems and energy companies to control and utilize the process heat directly or for the production of energy carriers like hydrogen. The NGNP public-private partnership will continue to build upon the base of interested nuclear power plant owner/operators to engage the growing interest in high temperature gas-cooled reactor applications within the hydrogen and process industries.