IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — Marvel - it's a word many would associate with the fictitious comic book publication about superheroes and high-tech gadgets. However, this "MARVEL" is soon to become a reality at the Idaho National Laboratory.
That Idaho National Laboratory (INL) announced that it is about begin building its first nuclear reactor in 50 years. The Microreactor Applications Research Validation and EvaLuation, or MARVEL, is a relatively small microreactor capable of providing power for up to 10 homes, according to INL.
As the name suggests, a microreactor is very different than a traditional nuclear reactor. A microreactor is small, portable and mostly built in a factory.
"Because it's small, and at least partially prefabricated, it probably can be hauled to the site where it's going to be deployed on the back of a truck or on a train," said MARVEL Senior Program Manager Mike Patterson. "And then put together quickly at the site."
The MARVEL microreactor is a type of advanced nuclear reactor that can generate both heat and electricity.
"We intend to hook MARVEL up to an integrated microgrid," Patterson said. "So, it's something that's going to produce electricity for a small community, whether it's isolated or not, and it will be integrated with wind and solar."
That factor could make a significant difference in rural communities where people pay a premium for electricity and heating costs due to higher costs for fuel transportation and infrastructure.
Patterson said since microreactors only have to be transported to a location once, they could cut down those electricity costs while providing a more stable, reliable energy source for the more remote areas.
"These microreactors are well-sized for them and can be driven there or trucked or transported by rail one time," Patterson said. "Some of those economies of scale were that the transmission lines don't have to be hundreds of miles long, they're just local. So, from a game-changing standpoint, we can provide them with more efficient electricity, and also more secure electricity because a nuclear power plant is online more often than let's say, a diesel generator."
The INL is finishing the design of MARVEL and will soon begin assembling the pieces of the reactor. The reactor will then go through a long series of tests and analysis. INL said construction is expected to be complete in 2026.
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