Ben Kritz
ONE of the things driving the persistent search for a “nuclear solution” to the Philippines’ energy needs is the apparent availability of several new technologies that, on the surface, seem to overcome some of the significant drawbacks of standard nuclear power plant designs. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are said to hold some promise, particularly in their floating version, which was discussed a few columns ago. Another technology that at first glance seems to be within reach is what is called the traveling wave reactor (TWR), which is being pursued by TerraPower, a company founded by Bill Gates.