Dozens of Labette County residents and city leaders gathered Thursday in Parsons, Kansas, to hear from representatives of a company planning a 1-mile underground nuclear reactor.

Some locals raised concerns while the company tried to make assurances that the project is safe. While it’s a new design, the company’s leaders said it relies on established technologies.

Marjorie Reynolds is a director of Prairie Dog Alliance, a local group that informs residents about the nuclear reactor project, which is expected to generate power by July 4.

She sported a pin with a yellow and black radiation hazard symbol behind a prairie dog.

“This is an experimental project that no one voted for, that’s untested and if there is a contamination or accident, we’re going to be living with this forever,” she said. “I’m here to educate the public.”

There was no presentation or speech from the company. Deep Fission instead opted to have open and personal conversations with visitors.

Deep Fission’s CEO Liz Muller and Chief Operating Officer Mike Brasel were in attendance. Muller said community input is vital to the process.

“I think people, understandably, have a lot of questions. I think today we started answering some of those questions” she said.

Labette County Commissioner Vince Schibi said the citizens at Thursday’s mixer were split between for and against the project. He represents the area where Great Plains Industrial Park is located. That park is the site of the planned reactor.

He supports the project, but wished Thursday’s event was in a different format. The sentiment was shared with Parson’s Mayor, Kevin Cruse.

City leaders understand the economic appeal of the reactor.

The energy company has been making progress on the reactor site since groundbreaking in November. They’ve begun the preliminary steps for drilling exploratory holes and construction of the drilling site.

Muller said she anticipates the community will have more questions. She said that input is vital to the process and could influence the scope of the project.

“We’ve committed to doing a test well here, but again, we haven’t yet committed to how big this commercial project could potentially be,” she said. “That is something that we’re going to need a lot of input from the community, and that’s input that I expect we’re going to get over the next few weeks and months.”

There’s been bipartisan support from Kansas lawmakers and Gov. Laura Kelly for the reactor.

A press release from the company said the drilling started this week. It’s the first of three planned data acquisition wells. This drilling enables Deep Fission to gather critical geological, hydrological and thermal data in preparation for the actual 30-inch borehole that will house the reactor.

This would be the second nuclear plant in Kansas after Wolf Creek Generation Station in Burlington, Kansas.

Kansas law prohibits the company selling power directly to power users. Deep Fission is working with electric utility Evergy to find a solution for the sale of future energy.

The company is also working on filling out the necessary requirements for drilling and producing energy from the borehole. Deep Fission is working with a third-party firm, Basin Operating Services, for drilling. The Oklahoma-based company filed an intent to drill with the Kansas Corporation Commission in early March.

It’s still not fully clear how this project would be regulated. The reactor is part of a pilot program by the Trump administration that focuses on new nuclear energy.

Rachel Schnelle reports on Missouri and Kansas issues for KRPS.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio.