The 266th Sydney Mining Club – Online Forum
at 1:00 pm on Thursday 3 February 2022 via Zoom Webinar
The New Universe of SMR’s:
Nuclear Operator Norman J.D. Sawyer takes us into the revolutionary world of Small Modular Reactors
For our opening magic trick in the year of the Omicron, we present a very special speaker to give us some deep and highly informed insight into what makes an SMR and why the roll out of these safe, smart and clean uranium burners are just around the corner.
The magic is that at short notice Norm has agreed to step up and present via Zoom from his home in Canada – and he has stepped in right when our interstate presenter fell out thanks to the current wave of kung flu. It’s a happy result. I have been working with Norm over recent times and aside from being a very likeable good communicator, he was once the individual licenced to operate the largest conventional reactor there is, for Bruce Power, a 7 GW Canadian ‘rig’.
He has walked the line between generators, consumers, locals and politicians and has a nuanced view where Small Modular Reactors are up to, where they fit and which of the dozen or so players will be first over the line with a fully permitted design that can be as the word ‘modular’ suggests, be made in factories and rolled out.
The Canadian Government and the province of Ontario are both directly funding SMR initiators which are stealing the march on US competitors such as Bill Gates-backed Terrapower which recently bought a deceased coal-fired power station site in Kemmerer, Wyoming where government officials are reported to be ‘ecstatic’ about the prospect. Why wouldn’t they be? Cooling with liquid sodium metal? Yes, SMR developers are changing the fundamentals, dramatically.
In Australia public opinion now supports nuclear power two to one. This public also loves renewables but understands their weaknesses. Nuclear is the thing. And with nuclear submarines on their way, is Australia not now already a ‘nuclear nation’? We are at a tipping point and by tuning in to Norm Sawyer’s presentation you will learn exactly how close.
Not to be missed!