This is a revisit (back by popular demand) to news that broke a few months ago regarding the development of a small self contained portable modular nuclear power reactor by the Hyperion Power Generation Inc .

Hyperion Power Generation, Inc. (HPG) was formed in order to engineer, develop and commercialize the small, modular, non-weapons grade nuclear power reactor invented by American Scientist Dr. Otis “Pete” Peterson of the famed Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico. Dr. Peterson’s goal behind the design was to provide clean, emission free, affordable and abundant energy without having to undertake the gargantuan cost and time to build a traditional large scale reactor.

The small modular nuclear reactors or Hyperion Power modules (HPMs) would be small enough to be transported on a ship, truck or train and would be approximately 1.5 meters wide. The design calls for the modules to be buried underground when in operation and factory sealed with no moving parts. The HPM module would provide 25Mwe or enough electricity to power 20,000 average American homes or several of them could be ganged together to produce power on a much larger scale, if needed.

The modules would have enough fuel for 5+ years and would produce waste the size of a softball for the entire period. The power modules would never be opened on site and if compromised, the materials inside would not be appropriate for weapons building and due to the uniqueness of the design, the power modules would be unable to go supercritical and have a meltdown.

Given the current state of the world and the rising concern over global warming and the amount of carbon being released into the atmosphere, nuclear power is the only safe viable and economically sound solution to the ever increasing energy requirements of the world.

Over the past 50 years since its inception, nuclear power it has proven to be one of the safest methods for generating electricity ever devised. By adopting nuclear power and by embracing cutting edge breakthrough designs such as the Hyperion power modules, utilities will be able to provide cheap, consistent and safe electricity on a scale not previously attainable; all with an environmental footprint that will be measured in pounds versus hundreds of thousands of metric tons.


Hyperion Facts
Small -1.5 meters across, approx size of a residential “hot tub”
Produces 70 MWt or 25 MWe, enough to power 20,000 average American homes or the equivalent
Buried underground out of sight and harm’s way
Transportable by train, ship, truck
Sealed module, never opened on site
Enough power for 5+ years
After 5 years, removed & refueled at original factory
Uniquely safe, self-moderating using a natural chemical reaction discovered 50 years ago
No mechanical parts in the core to malfunction
Water not used as coolant; cannot go “supercritical” or get too hot
No greenhouse gases or global warming emissions