The Babcock & Wilcox Company announced in July 2010 plans to locate the B&W mPower™ Integrated System Test (IST) facility in Bedford County, Va., at the Center for Advanced Engineering and Research.
The IST facility includes a scaled prototype of the B&W mPower reactor that will undergo extensive testing. All of the technical features of the B&W mPower integral reactor are included in the IST, although the source of energy is electricity rather than nuclear.
This multi-year initiative is collecting data to verify the reactor design and safety performance, supporting B&W's licensing activities with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission.
Installment of plant process equipment began in early April 2011. The reactor prototype was installed in July 2011. The IST facility is entering the first phase of testing.
IST Facility Dedication Ceremony Video
