I thought our readers would like to learn more about this great new technology. A great solution with lots of benefits.

 This information came from the Hyperion website. Check it out.

Hyperion Power Generation, Inc. (HPG) was formed to bring to market the unique Hyperion (formerly Comstar) small, modular, non-weapons grade nuclear power reactor invented by Dr. Otis “Pete” Peterson at the United States’ famed Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico. Through the commercialization program at LANL’s Technology Transfer Division, HPG was awarded the exclusive license to utilize the intellectual property and develop a product that will benefit the U.S. economy and global society as a whole.

The next multi-million dollar phase of work on the development of Hyperion, underwritten by private investors, continues, Hyperion will play a key role as a solution for climate change and the energy crisis.

The Hyperion concept was originally conceived as a clean, affordable solution to power mining and industrial operations such as the retorting of oil sands and shale. Other applications and requests for modules now come in daily from around the globe.

Hyperion power modules (HPMs) are a perfect alternative for those communities -- such as military bases, hospital and college campuses, – that, for security, reliability, or financial reasons, desire to be independent of their local utility’s power source. Equally important is Hyperion’s ability to bring heat for industrial uses and electricity for infrastructure and homes to remote locations with no reasonable access to reliable energy. For example: over 25% of the world’s population does not have access to clean water. Hyperion can solve this appalling situation by providing the power to pump, clean, and process life’s essential element, thereby turning the tide on disease, poverty and social unrest.

The team of business professionals and scientists that are developing Hyperion are deeply concerned about the state of the environment, the human suffering that continues needlessly, and the search for energy independence that is vital not just to the U.S., but to every nation on the planet. The men and women behind HPG are dedicated to realizing the full potential of this small but mighty power module. Clean, safe, affordable energy should be available to everyone – even in the most remote locations.

Hyperion Fast 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
• Think: Large Battery!
  

            Hyperion Power Module (HPG)

 Really, this is a very interesting information.  Note that the Hyperion small  modular power reactor  is similar in concept to the Toshiba 4S nuclear power reactor.

Sounds great. Do they have any orders yet?

More info that has hit the net... 

Nuclear power plants smaller than a garden shed and able to power 20,000 homes will be on sale within five years, say scientists at Los Alamos, the US government laboratory which developed the first atomic bomb.The miniature reactors will be factory-sealed, contain no weapons-grade material, have no moving parts and will be nearly impossible to steal because they will be encased in concrete and buried underground.

  The US government has licensed the technology to Hyperion, a New Mexico-based company which said last week that it has taken its first firm orders and plans to start mass production within five years. 'Our goal is to generate electricity for 10 cents a watt anywhere in the world,' said John Deal, chief executive of Hyperion. 'They will cost approximately $25m [£13m] each. For a community with 10,000 households, that is a very affordable $250 per home.'Deal claims to have more than 100 firm orders, largely from the oil and electricity industries, but says the company is also targeting developing countries and isolated communities. 'It's leapfrog technology,' he said.

  The company plans to set up three factories to produce 4,000 plants between 2013 and 2023. 'We already have a pipeline for 100 reactors, and we are taking our time to tool up to mass-produce this reactor.'The first confirmed order came from TES, a Czech infrastructure company specialising in water plants and power plants. 'They ordered six units and optioned a further 12. We are very sure of their capability to purchase,' said Deal. The first one, he said, would be installed in Romania. 'We now have a six-year waiting list. We are in talks with developers in the Cayman Islands, Panama and the Bahamas.'

  The reactors, only a few metres in diameter, will be delivered on the back of a lorry to be buried underground. They must be refuelled every 7 to 10 years. Because the reactor is based on a 50-year-old design that has proved safe for students to use, few countries are expected to object to plants on their territory. An application to build the plants will be submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission next year.'You could never have a Chernobyl-type event - there are no moving parts,' said Deal. 'You would need nation-state resources in order to enrich our uranium. Temperature-wise it's too hot to handle. It would be like stealing a barbecue with your bare hands.'