Over the coming weeks and months, Coffey County government hopes to have a much better sense of what it will take to bring cutting-edge nuclear technology to the county.
On Monday, Coffey County commissioners officially declared their “strong interest’ in housing a Natrium reactor through TerraPower as part of a memorandum of understanding involving Evergy and the Kansas Department of Commerce. Commissioners say Coffey County is “the perfect fit” with a 40-year partnership with Evergy, the owner and operator of the Wolf Creek power plant north of Burlington. County Economic Development Director Jenny Tatman says the vote of support is an obvious step.
Beyond the existing attributes, Tatman says there is a lot of community support for expanding nuclear power.
If Natrium goes to Coffey County, there have already been indications it would serve as complementary power to Wolf Creek, not replacement power. Tatman says conversations will begin soon on exactly what TerraPower and Evergy need for a Natrium reactor.
With the stated interest from Emporia last week and, possibly, Lyon County this week, Tatman says Coffey County will continue to build a groundswell of public support. Tatman is also pleased Flint Hills Technical College continues its powerplant technology program, which has sent a lot of its graduates to Wolf Creek. She says Coffey County is working with neighboring counties in case the Natrium plant goes elsewhere, saying, “something that lifts up our county or neighboring counties is going to be good for all the surrounding counties.”
4 pm Monday: Coffey County in running for Natrium reactor
Coffey County is now in the running for a next-generation nuclear reactor.
Commissioners on Monday officially declared their “strong interest’ in housing a Natrium reactor as siting conversations continue between Evergy and TerraPower, the developer of the Natrium nuclear model.
Commissioners say Coffey County is “the perfect fit” with a 40-year partnership with Evergy, the owner and operator of the Wolf Creek power plant north of Burlington. Beyond the skilled workforce in place for decades, infrastructure, emergency management plans and highway access, Coffey County commissioners and Economic Development Director Jenny Tatman say this follows “deep-rooted” community support for expanding nuclear power after town hall meetings earlier this year.
The Coffey County decision to support the Natrium reactor follows similar and separate but connected votes from the Emporia City Commission and Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas last week. Lyon County commissioners could have a similar conversation this week. So far, those are the only public discussions to take place at area government meetings.
