Alaskan town opts for “pocket reactor”


CSA Z463 Electrical Maintenance -

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 6 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$249
Coupon Price:
$199
Reserve Your Seat Today
The town leaders of Galena, Alaska, which is hundreds of kilometres from the nearest power plant, have signed up for what some call a "pocket nuke" or "nuclear battery" that produces just 10 megawatts - about 1 per cent of the energy an average nuclear plant generates, Mark Clayton reports in The Christian Science Monitor.

Japanese manufacturer Toshiba has told the town it will install its new 4S (super-safe, small and simple) reactor free of charge by 2012. The unit, which would be buried about 30 metres underground, would only have to be refuelled about every 30 years.

Interest in pocket nuclear plants is growing among developing countries and island nations, advocates say. Unlike solar and wind power, the plants would generate power 24/7 and at a fraction of the cost of a diesel generator, they say.

Related News

B.C. Diverting Critical Minerals, Energy from U.S

Canadian Softwood Lumber Tariffs challenge British Columbia's forestry sector, strain U.S.-Canada trade, and risk redirecting…
View more

Global: Nuclear power: what the ‘green industrial revolution’ means for the next three waves of reactors

UK Nuclear Energy Ten Point Plan outlines support for large reactors, SMRs, and AMRs, funding…
View more

Sudbury Hydro crews aim to reconnect service after storm

Sudbury Microburst Power Outage strains hydro crews after straight-line winds; New Sudbury faces downed power…
View more

UK families living close to nuclear power stations could get free electricity

UK Nuclear Free Electricity Incentive proposes community benefits near reactors, echoing France, supporting net zero…
View more

Severe heat: 5 electricity blackout risks facing the entire U.S., not just Texas

Texas power grid highlights ERCOT reliability strains from extreme heat, climate change, and low wind,…
View more

Disrupting Electricity? This Startup Is Digitizing Our Very Analog Electrical System

Solid-State AC Switching reimagines electrification with silicon-based, firmware-driven controls, smart outlets, programmable circuit breakers, AC-DC…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Download the 2026 Electrical Training Catalog

Explore 50+ live, expert-led electrical training courses –

  • Interactive
  • Flexible
  • CEU-cerified