Southern Teams Up With Gates-Backed TerraPower on Small Nuclear Reactor

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Southern Co. has agreed to design and build an advanced demonstration nuclear reactor using technology developed by the Bill Gates-backed company TerraPower LLC.

Southern plans to build the molten-chloride reactor at Idaho National Laboratory, according to a statement Thursday. The U.S. Energy Department is providing a grant to cover 80% of the $170 million project, with the rest coming from Southern, TerraPower and others.