今回の報道は、まったく唐突なもので、TWRという記号が何の頭文字かすら私は知りません。
ただ、報道を見る限り、劣化ウランを燃料にする、そして東芝の4S炉と共通の技術の部分が多いとのことで、この炉は高速炉です。
東芝の4S炉は「4S=Super-Safe, Small and Simple」の頭文字をとったもので、電気出力1万~5万kWのごくごく小型のナトリウム冷却高速炉です。
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial signed into law yesterday a bill that now allows modern, passive modular nuclear power devices or safe nuclear batteries in the Commonwealth.
House Bill 17-38, or the Nuclear and Chemical Free Amendment Zone Act of 2010, is now Public Law 17-10.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Stanley Torres, amends the Nuclear and Chemical Free Zone Act of 1983 in order to meet the public demand for more environmentally friendly and cheaper power for the Commonwealth.
At the signing ceremony yesterday noon, Fitial described the bill as much needed in the CNMI because it will alleviate people's problems relating to high utility rates.
According to Torres, the idea began in 2006 when his office, through the help of legislative assistant Dr. Jack Angello, initiated research and studies on how nuclear power being promoted in the U.S. could help the CNMI as a safe and reliable alternative source of power.
In 2007, Torres re-introduced the same legislation with the strong information support from Hyperion Power Generation Co., a company sanctioned by the U.S. government and has a cooperative arrangement with the U.S. Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratories in New Mexico.
“It's been quite a journey to finally have this law, in order to open the doors to a better future for the Commonwealth,” said Torres yesterday at the signing ceremony.
(2010年7月29日のヤップ州ニュースより)