Molten Salt Research Reactor
Natura Resources decided from the beginning to start small and focus efforts on the development of a university research reactor. As a result, the MSRR is now one of the leading advanced reactor projects in the nation and should be one of the first advanced reactors to demonstrate successful licensure with the NRC and commence operations. Natura’s commercial line of liquid-fueled molten salt reactors will be built upon the foundation established by the revolutionary MSRR project.
The MSRR Project is Rapidly Moving Forward
Natura Resources, LLC, brought together Abilene Christian University, Texas A&M University, The University of Texas at Austin and The Georgia Institute of Technology to form the Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Research Alliance (NEXTRA), a revolutionary partnership between public and private universities and private industry. NEXTRA was established to design, build, and license the first-ever Molten Salt Research Reactor (MSRR) and the first university research reactor of any kind in the last 30 years.
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Construction permit (CP) is currently being reviewed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) with expected completion in May 2024.
Link to NRC licensing page for the MSRR. -
Conceptual design completed in October of 2022
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Detailed engineering and design commencing this year
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Facility to house the MSRR is under construction and scheduled for the completion in July 2023.
The Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC)
The Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) at Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a multi-use facility that will be home to both the NEXT Lab and the MSRR.
Features of the Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC)
- 28,000 sq ft facility
- Labs for chemistry, molten salt systems & instrumentation development
- Research Bay
- 50 ft tall
- 40-ton crane
- Research Reactor Trench
- 80 ft long
- 15 ft wide
- 25 ft deep
