Deep Fission is leading an unprecedented undertaking in the energy industry by opening the world’s first underground nuclear facility in Kansas. Their radical new ‘Gravity Reactor’ is transitioning the industry. This will be the first facility exceeding the nuclear developmental boundaries of the foregoing ground reactors.
American nuclear technology: The future of electricity supply?
Deep Fission is an American nuclear technology company and is working on an underground 15-Megawatt Electric (MWe) reactor that will supply clean and economically reliable electricity to industrial customers and other critical infrastructure in the area.
Unlike other reactors, Deep Fission has designed and engineered a reactor that is able to utilize the earth’s natural geology in place of traditional atmosphere containment and surface-level complex cooling systems.
While the industry has long envisioned the use of underground reactors, Deep Fission will be the first to commercially implement that design in Kansas. The radical new design will meet and exceed concerns of security and environmental resilience.
Underground nuclear reactors: The valuable and practical reasons for the project
Deep Fission has proposed that there are valuable and practical reasons for underground nuclear reactors. Some of these reasons are as follows:
- Passive Safety: The underground placement of nuclear reactors is a remarkable technology that provides a natural containment barrier as rocks surround the facility. This greatly reduces the risk of radiation leaks.
- Thermal Stability: The underground conditions within the backfilled cavity will offer effective containment, cooling, and a static temperature that most subsurface environments will offer. These systems will offer the cooling stability of a reactor and will eliminate the need for cooling towers altogether.
Employees of the company state that the reactor has been created to work autonomously and needs minimal supervision from humans. This puts away the risk of accruing operational costs and reduces the chances of errors, two factors that we outlined and explained.
The reactor has a modular design, which allows it to be flexible
The reactor has a modular design, which allows it to be in a series. Therefore, there is a possibility of deploying reactors all over the country. This will be highly beneficial in assisting with the stability of the grid and assisting in industrial power.
Deep fissure claims that the reactor will operate without needing maintenance for a decade and will even run without needing refueling. This is a major advancement compared to the rest of the reactors. Also, the underground chamber will be sealed to ensure no contamination occurs, and with the rock layers, the system will end up containing everything.
There is little doubt that the project poses several questions for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Going out of the conventional norms for nuclear facilities will be the main focus of this design.
The Kansas project will be the first of its kind in the world
If the Kansas project comes to fruition, it will be the first of its kind in the world, potentially transforming how we utilize nuclear energy. An underground reactor would eliminate a significant amount of fossil fuel use and help meet climate targets, all while alleviating some of the energy supply chain’s geopolitical weaknesses.
The belief that this innovation may decrease the resistance to SMRs, which have been met with enthusiasm as a versatile clean energy solution, is a testament to Deep Fusion’s novel approach to SMR technology. Fusion and modularity are two of the most dominant themes in technology as it accelerates the diversification of SMRs.
The end of 2026 is a target for the start of construction, with expected operational tests to take place later that same year. If Deep Fission’s Gravity Reactor fulfills its potential, the prospect of new installations in other states and countries becomes a distinct possibility. In the nuclear business, this is as audacious as they come.