Deep Fission is piloting a program to bury nuclear reactors at least a mile underground in Parsons, Kansas. These reactors are small enough to fit in a 30 inch borehole, but strong enough to power up to 10,000 homes.
At the groundbreaking event last Tuesday, Dec. 9, Deep Fission CEO Liz Muller said that many local people and community leaders were excited about this innovation. But Muller admits others were concerned about the safety of the technology.
“People want to make sure that everything happening in their community is completely safe, and we feel really good about the safety of our reactors,” Muller told KCUR’s Up to Date. “Modern nuclear reactors are the safest source of electricity that we have today, period.”
One concern that listeners shared with Up to Date was the safety of water in Kansas’s underground aquifers. Muller noted that Deep Fission is using the same sealing technology that oil and gas companies use to protect groundwater, and since the reactors will be buried far below aquifers, there is no way it could “leak” into them.
President Donald Trump’s Reactor Pilot Program is supporting Deep Fission’s research as part of the administration's ongoing effort to “unleash the American nuclear renaissance."
To test its reactors, Deep Fission needs approval from the U.S. Department of Energy. Once they are producing power, the company will need to be regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission before selling commercially.
Even though it is in the early stages, Muller said they would consider partnering with Evergy to provide power for the public power grid, and to large consumers such as AI data centers.
Muller said burying the reactors underground cuts down on the cost, time to market, and safety concerns surrounding nuclear technology. Water will fill the boreholes providing pressure for the nuclear reactor, and the reactors could be sealed underground after their lifespan of two to seven years has passed.
This would cut the cost of disposing of nuclear waste, Muller said. She said it is safer for the environment because the radioactive material never surfaces.
Deep Fission invites anyone with questions or concerns to fill out a feedback form on their website.
- Liz Muller, Deep Fission co-founder and CEO
