Curtiss-Wright announced that it had finished installing the Stage 1 Training Simulator at TerraPower’s Natrium plant site in Kemmerer, Wyoming. Essentially, the technology is a digital twin of the nuclear site. 

This unit acts as a full-scope replica of the real plant equipment. It runs real-time simulations of system conditions so control room staff can train and earn their licenses before the plant even opens. The whole system runs on Curtiss-Wright’s 3KEYMASTER software, a tool already used at many nuclear, power, and process facilities worldwide.

“Curtiss-Wright is pleased to announce the successful development and installation of the Natrium Training Simulator at the Kemmerer site,” said Lynn M. Bamford, Chair and CEO of Curtiss-Wright Corporation. “This is a key milestone in our collaboration with TerraPower that exemplifies our ability to leverage Curtiss-Wright’s advanced technologies, domain expertise, and engineering leadership to meet the needs of next-generation nuclear reactors. As a leading global supplier of nuclear reactor technologies, Curtiss-Wright is well positioned to support the anticipated acceleration in demand for advanced reactors and continued expansion of the U.S. reactor fleet.”

Smarter Tech for Next-Gen Power

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A rendering of the Natrium reactor; Photo: TerraPower

The Kemmerer facility, known as Kemmerer Unit 1, is set to become the first utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant. Its design pairs a 345-megawatt sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt energy storage system.

The storage design keeps regular output steady, but it can quickly push total output up to 500 megawatts when electricity demand peaks. It is currently the only advanced reactor design built with this capability.

“Building the world’s most advanced reactor demands an equally advanced approach to operator training,” said George Piccard, Vice President Plant Operations at TerraPower. “By working with Curtiss-Wright to deliver the Natrium Training Simulator, we are laying the foundation to scale a qualified nuclear workforce across every future Natrium plant and ensuring our operators are fully prepared long before the plant comes online.”

Beyond the simulator, Curtiss-Wright is also building the plant’s Distributed Control Systems and Reactor Protection System through its Nuclear Division.