Japan’s Mitsubishi, energy body join Gates’ nuclear project

TOKYO (AP) — Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency say they have signed an agreement to participate in a next-generation nuclear energy project with TerraPower, a company started by Bill Gates. The memorandum of understanding is on cooperating in developing advanced nuclear technologies. Based in Kemmerer, Wyoming, the demonstration project will use a nontraditional, sodium-cooled nuclear reactor. It will hire workers from a local coal-fired power plant scheduled to close soon. MHI, one of Japan’s largest industrial conglomerates, said it will explore ways to provide technical support and to develop the reactor. It said the company views nuclear energy as essential for achieving net zero carbon emissions to counter climate change.