A Small Modular Reactor (SMR) is the nuclear reactors generally 300 MW per module (up to about 700 MW as a Medium) equivalent or less which is smaller than conventional reactors that is designed with modular technology. A SMR allows for less onsite construction activities, increasing efficiency, enhanced safety due to passive nuclear safety features, and pursuing economies of series production and short construction times. There are about 50 SMRs design and concept globally, several existing and newcomer nuclear energy countries conducting SMR research and development.
Related Definitions in the Project: The Nuclear Fusion Energy Energy Definitions;
Example Article of the Small Modular Reactor (SMR)
The Pros And Cons of Modular Nuclear Reactors (Source: Oil Price on 10 April 2023): By Leonard Hyman & William Tilles - Today, we applaud the efforts to design nuclear power stations of smaller size, which will achieve economies of scale by constructing identical equipment in a manufacturing setting and shipping the modules to the construction site where they will be assembled. We have yet to establish whether the modular units will be substantially cheaper, and we have a good idea that most of the designs will not solve the nuclear waste problem. We are still determining whether the public will accept the new nukes more warmly than the old ones, too. But we are confident that builders will have less money at risk in any one piece of machinery, which is good. Here’s our worry. There are at least 21 announced small modular reactor technologies ( as we wrote in a previous report), some with big-name tech backers. It is almost as if some tech entrepreneurs that can no longer find app start-ups to fund have plunged into nuclear energy. Now, let’s do some rough numbers. There are 439 nuclear power plants in the world (92 in the USA, 56 in France, 54 in China and 37 in Russia, 33 in Japan, and 24 in South Korea). Over the coming 20 years, we believe most of these reactors will have to be retired, some in extreme old age. Figure that the new units might average one-tenth to one-quarter the size of the old ones. So maybe a requirement for 4000 units over 20 years. Or 200 units per year. Divide that by 20 different designs. If each producer got an equal share, that would mean ten units per year. We don’t know but have to ask whether that number would yield financing for a factory that could achieve economies of scale. Now add on the nationalism and security issues. Should we expect the USA, France, Russia and China to buy from foreign sources? If they require in-country sourcing, it is more difficult for any manufacturer to achieve real scale. The contestable market for manufacturers might be closer to 100 units per year, maybe less. That might not give room for manufacturing economies of scale. ...
Are Small Scale Modular Reactors Becoming Too Expensive? (Source: Oil Price on 21 November 2022): By Leonard Hyman & William Tilles - According to industry reports the builders of the NuScale small modular reactor (SMR) project recently submitted revised cost estimates to their muni and co-op partners. Initial cost estimates were for power to be produced at about $58/MWh. This figure was recently revised upwards to roughly $90-$100/Mwh, a projected price increase of 60-70%. The causes cited by management for these price increases were twofold: inflation (in material costs, i.e. steel) and higher interest rates. This initial NuScale project located at the federal government’s Idaho National Laboratories in Idaho Falls would consist of six 77 MW reactors with the units slated to enter commercial service in 2029-2030. These estimates of per KWH cost are significantly above those we have seen recently for renewables plus storage.
Rolls Royce To Develop Mini Nuclear Reactors In The UK (Source: Oil Price on 10 November 2021): By ZeroHedge - In a world where ESG is all the rage, and the transition from coal to cleaner energy sources is paramount, the UK has become the latest country to embrace nuclear power. According to a company press release, Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc raised $617 million to fund "the next generation of low cost, low carbon nuclear power technology." Rolls-Royce Group, BNF Resources UK Limited, and Exelon Generation Limited will develop small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) that will allow the country to meet net-zero commitments. SMRs will be built in the UK and open for export to customers worldwide. ...
The World’s First Small Nuclear Reactor Is Now Under Construction (Source: Oil Price on 13 July 2021): By Charles Kennedy - China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) launched on Tuesday the construction of the first onshore small nuclear reactor in the world, in its efforts to gain a leading position in the modular reactors market. Construction began on the demonstration project at the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in the Hainan province in southern China, local publication Global Times reports. The start of the construction for the ‘Linglong One’ small nuclear reactor comes four years later than initially planned, due to delays in regulatory clearances, Reuters notes. The small reactor was originally planned to see the start of the construction phase in 2017. A year earlier, the Linglong One small reactor had become the first to pass a safety review from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Once completed and commissioned, the small nuclear reactor is expected to meet the annual power needs of around 526,000 households, Global Times reports, without giving a timeline for the completion. CNNC has been developing small reactor technology for the past ten years, the outlet says. ...
