What is really happening with Radiant Nuclear?

That was how state Rep. Tony Locke, R-Casper, described in a nutshell what Radiant Nuclear ought to be doing to provide residents of Bar Nunn credible information so they can decide if the project is right for their community or not.

Radiant Nuclear, Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Rep. Bill Allemand, R-Midwest, hosted townhalls in an effort to provide information about Radiant’s proposed manufacturing and waste storage facility near Bar Nunn. However, many of those who attended said they have often left townhalls confused with questions unanswered, or the answers they received didn’t even touch the surface of their questions. Inaccurate information is widespread, both online and shared at townhalls.

But what information is accurate, factual.

Here, the Star-Tribune takes a closer look at some common questions and information about the Radiant Nuclear proposed facility.

Question: Where is the proposed manufacturing/waste storage site?

Answer: According to Advance Casper, the proposed site is on Natrona County land north of Bar Nunn, several feet from the town limits. The site is near West Winds Road and the sand mine.

Q: What is a microreactor?

A: A microreactor is a small nuclear reactor. The Kaleidos reactors are about the size of a small semitrailer or 11 feet by 11 feet by 35 feet. According to Radiant Nuclear, they weigh 70 tons and can produce 1 mega watt of power or 1.9 mega watts of heat.

A: Radiant officials said the Kaleidos reactor works when helium gas flows through channels in hexagonal graphite blocks. These blocks slow down fission. Fission from the TRISO fuel pellets heats the helium, which travels to a different part of the reactor and heats carbon dioxide. The heated carbon dioxide turns the turbines, generating electricity in a closed loop system.

Q: What surveys have been done?

A: The Star-Tribune is currently aware of two surveys that have been conducted. Radiant Nuclear’s survey was conducted by the pollster Cygnal for people in Natrona County. According to Radiant, 60.9% support the company’s manufacturing facility opening in Bar Nunn.

Allemand also did a survey, but the lawmaker did not disclose the name of his pollster. He claimed to only have surveyed people in House District 58. Allemand’s survey results were sent to him in an email from Daugherty Solutions LLC . According to that survey, 71.7% are opposed to temporarily storing nuclear waste near Bar Nunn, while 17.7% support it. The survey indicated that 9.7% are unsure, though Allemand previously claimed that number was 13%. Allemand also said 118 people took his survey, though the data only shows 113 people.

Q: Is the Radiant survey accurate?

A: Cygnal sent text messages to between 1,200 and 1,300 people, asking them to complete the survey. Participants were asked demographic questions about their political beliefs, age, gender and income level. Based on their responses, 300 people were selected to complete the survey. According to Radiant, these 300 people were selected based on how closely their responses fit the general election and U.S. census data of Natrona County.

Only 0.375% of all Natrona County registered voters were surveyed. Radiant’s survey had an error margin of ±5.64%. Worth noting: No questions about nuclear waste storage were included in the survey.

Q: Is Allemand’s survey accurate?

A: It is unclear how accurate Allemand’s survey is. A copy of the survey results was provided to the Star-Tribune by Allemand in the form of a printed email in the email account of “Bill Alland” at the email address “billshot307@gmail.com.” This email address was part of the directory information from the Secretary of State’s Office for Bill Allemand during the 2024 Primary Elections.

The email was from an employee of Daugherty Strategies LLC. This business was registered with the Wyoming Secretary of State in 2022, but has no visible online presence or website. The survey results were titled “Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Survey Report for Representative Ken Allemand.” “Ken” was struck through with a black marker and Bill was written underneath. Throughout the survey results, “Ken Allemand” is referenced multiple times. There is no one named Ken Allemand in the Wyoming Legislature.

No margin of error or sampling method information was provided for this survey. The results are listed as “Bill for HD48-Nuclear Fuel Survey” in the excel attachment to the email, with “48” struck through and “58” written underneath. House District 48 is in Rock Springs, while House District 58 is in Midwest. Allemand said he took his survey and his responses were included when calculating the survey results.

A: TRISO Fuel is a type of ceramic coated uranium fuel. About the size of a poppy seed, the ceramic coated uranium is pressed into a small pellet. Caleb Hill, University of Wyoming assistant professor of Analytical Chemistry, said in TRISO fuel the uranium is encapsulated by silicon carbide and pyrolysis carbon layers. These layers help trap some of the fission products inside the particles. TRISO has been shown to be extremely heat tolerant.

Q: How long has TRISO fuel been around?

A: TRISO fuel was developed in the 1960s. It was used in the Dragon reactor in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, but hasn’t been used in nuclear reactors in the United States.

Q: How safe is TRISO fuel?

A: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, TRISO fuel has been tested extensively. This fuel has a tolerance to high heat and is stable even at 1,800 degrees Celsius or 3,272 degrees Fahrenheit which well exceeds standard nuclear reactor temperatures.

To manufacture the fuel, enriched uranium is used. While most uranium used to fuel nuclear reactors is enriched to 3% to 5%, TRISO fuel is enriched to 19%. Hill said data from the scientific community suggests that TRISO fuel is safe.

According to Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC research, there are mechanisms built into the fuel to help it be safer. To minimize the fission gases, which are radioactive from escaping the particles during fission, the layers of carbon in the uranium are designed to stretch and shrink, trapping the gases between layers and pressurizing it. Radiant will be testing their reactor with TRISO fuel at Idaho National Laboratories in 2026.

Q: What safety concerns are there?

A: The main concern is the outer carbon layers of the fuel cracking, which allows fission gases to escape, Hill said. This cracking takes place at extremely high temperatures over 2,000 degrees Celsius or 3,632 degrees Fahrenheit, according to data from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Current nuclear reactors rarely intentionally exceed 800 degrees Celsius or 1,472 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the DOE.

Q: Where will the waste be stored?

A: Radiant plans to store the waste near their manufacturing facility on county land near Bar Nunn.

Q: How will the waste be stored?

A: According to Radiant, the waste will be placed in dry cask storage. The spent fuel will be placed in a lead-lined container surrounded by a dense layer of concrete. Radiant is still deciding which model of dry cask storage will be used at their facility.

Q: How long will the waste be stored for?

A: If licensed by the NRC, Radiant can store waste for up to 40 years near Bar Nunn.

Radiant categorizes their waste storage in Bar Nunn as temporary, until the waste can be relocated to a National Repository. Radiant officials have previously said they are optimistic this will happen in the future.

However, Yucca Mountain is no longer a feasible repository site, Paul Murray, deputy assistant Secretary for Spent Fuel & High-Level Waste Disposition, clarified during the July 30 Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development Committee meeting in Casper. Murray said the Department of Energy is not looking to site a national repository at the moment, just to educate communities on nuclear waste.

Q: Has dry cask storage leaked in the past?

A: Dry cask storage has been used since 1986 with no reported incidents. Fort St. Vrain Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation currently stores 2,500 metric tons of high level nuclear waste in dry cask storage between Denver and Greely, Colo., according to the NRC.

Q: How long will the waste be dangerous for?

A: It is unclear how long it will take to lose all radioactivity. Nuclear waste typically loses radioactivity in stages based on the half lifes of individual isotopes, Hill said. A significant drop off in radioactivity would occur around 30 years, but the fuel will still be radioactive past this. The TRISO fuel that Radiant plans to use produces Plutonium-239, among other radioactive elements in the spent fuel, which has a half life of 24,100 years according to a toxicology report from the National Library of Medicine.

Q: What laws does Wyoming have regarding nuclear waste storage?

A: Wyoming statute outlines the requirements to store nuclear waste in the state. This statute specifies that a nuclear waste storage facility is only allowed if “It is operated on the site of and to store the high‑level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel produced by a nuclear power generation facility operating within the state.” Violating this law can lead to up court involvement, a year’s imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine.

Q: What is the projected economic impact?

A: Radiant estimates that an unspecified millions of dollars will go to Natrona County and the state each year.

“This includes over $1.2 million in annual payroll taxes, over $1.3 million in annual property taxes, and the full 5% state and county sales and use taxes paid on every reactor we sell (which means tens of millions of dollars more as we ramp up to 50 reactors sold per year),” Hayley McKee, spokeswoman for Radiant Nuclear, said.

Radiant has indicated that one of the main buyers for their microreactor is the U.S. military, who may be exempt from paying sales taxes, depending on the situation.

Q: What jobs will be created?

A: Jobs include machinists, mechanical engineers, nuclear technicians & engineers, electromechanical technicians, quality assurance technicians and shipping and receiving clerks. Radiant has also mentioned a need for welders at previous townhalls.

Q: How will people be trained for these jobs?

At a townhall, Radiant officials mentioned the company was exploring programs with Casper College and examining the curriculum. Casper College President Brandon Kosine and Rachel Chadderdon, dean of the School of Business and Industry, said while Radiant had toured Casper College and the college had reached out to Radiant, no discussions about specific training programs or curriculum changes had taken place. Casper College’s Manufacturing and Engineering Technology school offers programs such as machine tool technology and welding.

Radiant has also said that they are looking at Natrona County School District’s Career and Technical Education program as well as University of Wyoming programs.

Radiant officials said that 90% of the jobs are under general manufacturing, with 10% requiring specialized skills around nuclear energy. If they are unable to find those specialized jobs in Wyoming, officials said they will be looking at bringing people in from out-of-state.

Q: What is the $25 million grant?

A: This is a grant available through the Wyoming Business Council. Advanced Casper applied for the grant on behalf of Radiant. If given out, this grant will pay to extend infrastructure like water and sewer lines out to the proposed facility site.

Q: Is Radiant definitely coming to Bar Nunn?

A: Radiant has previously claimed that if Bar Nunn does not want them here, they will not come, citing survey results as proof of community support. Vocal opposition by Bar Nunn and Wyoming residents suggest that not everyone supports the project. Radiant is still in communication with communities in Texas and Tennessee, according to Advance Caper. Radiant officials during a townhall mentioned that they declined an offer to site in Gillette.

Q: How is spent nuclear fuel transported?

A: Fuel is transported by rail, road or barge from commercial nuclear power plants to federal waste storage facilities. Currently, naval nuclear waste has been safely transported more than 900 times, according to the Department of Energy. In 2024 the Atlas Railcar was certified by Association of American Railroads to transport nuclear waste. While transporting waste, it will have a rail escort vehicle with armed guards. The proposed route includes traveling by rail through southern Wyoming.

Q: What testing has been done?

A: The casks for transporting nuclear waste by rail have been tested around the world since the 1970s. Vehicle and railcar collision tests, as well as drop tests have been conducted with the casks. According to the Department of Energy, these tests showed no damage to the cask. More testing is scheduled in the near future.