Ameresco to help customise Terrestrial IMSR plants

The partners said the collaboration covers site identification and Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) plant project development, design, licensing, construction and operation.

"The collaboration is strategically focused on delivering customised, scalable, reliable, clean, and cost-competitive energy for data centre and industrial applications, combining the competitive capabilities of Terrestrial Energy's innovative IMSR nuclear plant with Ameresco's expertise in energy systems' design, hybridisation, integration and operation," they said in a joint statement. 

"Integration of energy systems is expected to include the use of a natural gas-fired energy bridge in IMSR plant operation to enable early electricity delivery well in advance of IMSR nuclear systems being completed and brought to commercial operation," Terrestrial Energy and Ameresco added.

Terrestrial's IMSR is a 4th generation reactor that uses molten salt as both fuel and coolant, with integrated components, which can supply heat directly to industrial facilities or use it to generate electrical power. The use of molten salt as both fuel and coolant also enables passive, or inherent, safety features to be built into the reactor design. The design integrates the primary reactor components, including the graphite moderator, into a sealed and replaceable reactor core unit with an operating lifetime of seven years. The plants' thermal and electric power supply systems can be customised to meet specific site demand requirements, and can support distributed generation for energy-intensive industry.

"Site- and use-specific customisation of IMSR plant output and its hybridisation with other systems including natural gas are essential to capture today's market for near located supply of reliable clean nuclear energy," said Terrestrial Energy CEO Simon Irish. "Our IMSR plant excels in its capacity to be adapted and customised to market needs in a grid congested world. Ameresco's proven track record in energy system integration creates a powerful platform to develop IMSR plant projects that meet the emerging requirements of rapidly growing demand for reliable, carbon-free energy across multiple industrial sectors."

Nicole Bulgarino, president of Federal Solutions and Utility Infrastructure at Ameresco, added: "Our collaboration with Terrestrial Energy reflects our commitment to expanding the capabilities of our clean energy portfolio. By exploring hybrid energy systems that leverage the IMSR plant's heat and power output, we're enhancing our ability to deliver reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions tailored to the evolving needs of data centres and industrial customers."