Governor Kay Ivey announced Wednesday that Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC), a Seattle-based nuclear power company, plans to invest $232 million for a new facility in Gadsden.
The facility will produce its Micro-Modular Reactor (MMR), a fourth-generation nuclear energy system that provides users cost-effective electricity. The automated MMR Assembly Plant (MAP) will also manufacture, assemble, test and inspect the non-radiological modules needed to construct its advanced microreactors. No radioactive material will be used or stored at the company’s new Alabama facility.
The governor’s office in a press release stated the USNC plant will be the nation’s first commercial-scale microreactor production facility. Once operational, MAP will employ 250 professional and technical workers.
Governor Ivey said Alabama is home to a vast array of innovative companies, making the state the ideal place for USNC’s latest microreactor assembly plant.
“This unique facility will benefit the Gadsden community through a significant investment and the creation of good jobs, while also reinforcing Alabama’s reputation for cutting-edge manufacturing operations,” Ivey said in an online statement.
USNC spent a year searching for an additional plant location, visiting 16 different states. Sites were evaluated on sustainability, infrastructure, workforce availability and overall project economics. USNC and the state formalized the deal through a project agreement executed by Governor Ivey and company Chief Nuclear Officer Dan Stout.
The governor’s office in a press release said USNC representatives anticipate possible expansion as demand for the MMR high-temperature gas reactor gains global interest. Representatives also anticipate the potential for USNC suppliers to establish a local presence, creating even more growth and opportunity in and around Gadsden.
“USNC’s microreactors will be produced at the state-of-the-art facility in Gadsden and shipped as modules to sites around the world, allowing for the generation of reliable energy anywhere,” said Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, in an online statement. “This is safe and amazing technology, and I’m pleased that it will be ‘Made in Alabama.’”
The 578,000 square foot factory will feature state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing processes and equipment and will be capable of producing up to 10 complete MMR nuclear units per year. Construction is slated to begin in 2024, with the facility operational in 2027.