This month the New Nuclear Watch Institute’s (NNWI) ‘Yes to Nuclear’ Perspectives initiative explores the technological development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular… Read More »
This month the New Nuclear Watch Institute’s (NNWI) ‘Yes to Nuclear’ Perspectives initiative explores the technological development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs).
Until recently, nuclear power plants have principally delivered large quantities of low-carbon baseload electricity in areas where widespread grid capacity already exists. SMRs and AMRs offer an innovative solution to the problem of cost and time associated with the construction and maintenance of conventional nuclear reactors.
The NNWI and its partners are committed to developing strong partnerships with governments, NGOs, educational institutions, and UN bodies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to support the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
SMRs and AMRs
Investment and progress in nuclear power is essential for the achievement of the SDGs. In Europe, the UK and the United States, governments are turning to the flexible and cheaper option of SMRs and AMRs to support intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
The World Nuclear Association, the international organisation that represents the global nuclear industry, suggests that due to the small size of SMR and AMRs, their capital and financing requirements are more straightforward. SMRs could be almost completely built inside factories and then transported and installed as modular (and possibly even pre-fueled) components.
While they will not replace conventional reactors, their role in decarbonisation is expected to flourish as a complementary electricity provider. They can offer local application of nuclear energy for remote communities where large-scale units are impractical. With a unit cost somewhere between $800 million and $3 billion, compared to $11 billion for a traditional nuclear power plant, SMRs may be more attractive to smaller investors in the nuclear market.
SMRs also serve to settle concerns regarding the safety of nuclear reactors. They can better utilise passive safety design which means that a reactor does not require any active intervention on the part of the operator or electrical feedback in order to bring about a safe emergency shutdown.
Designs are even being developed for underground or underwater locations which would offer even greater protection from natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes, which together were responsible for the disaster in Fukushima in 2011. Removal and on-site decommissioning is much easier and safer than normal nuclear power plants as a direct result of their size.
SMR projects
One of the examples, now looking at the UK, is Rolls Royce which have outlined plans to support net-zero ambitions through the installation of SMRs across the country. The company have completed the feasibility stage in the development of SMRs and are now looking to secure investment. It is expected that these SMRs will be ready for grid use by 2030.
Predictions indicate that one UK SMR will be able to power a city the size of Leeds or Sheffield. It is hoped that such application of SMR technology can support grid-based electricity and help to decarbonise the energy system in sectors such as aviation fuel by using hydrogen and synthetic fuels.
Another example is the SMR technology being developed since the 1950s by the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (or ROSATOM) resulting in the world’s only nuclear icebreaker fleet. All of its vessels are operating on ingenious SMR designs.
Based on this experience ROSATOM has created and launched the world’s only floating SMR-based nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov which has become a local and reliable source of electricity for remote communities in Far East Russia which do not have access to the electrical grid. In these locations, where up to 80% of the total energy cost can be linked to its transportation, the installation of SMRs may liberate local population and business from these higher costs, the associated energy insecurity and the negative ecological impact of fossil fuel usage that heavily damages the fragile Arctic ecosystem.
Canadian Nuclear Association
For June’s edition of the ‘Yes to Nuclear’ Perspectives initiative, the NNWI has looked to Canada as a case study for the application of SMRs and AMRs.
Research conducted by EnviroEconomics and Navius Research and commissioned by the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA) shows the economic and climate benefits of employing SMRs in Canada’s high-emitting industrial sectors.
Across all scenarios, SMRs delivered low-cost emission reductions, driving down the cost of getting to net-zero as a nation while contributing significantly to Canada’s annual GDP.
Between 2035 to 2050, SMRs could reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector by 216 megatonnes.
SMRs offer a cheaper alternative to conventional nuclear power plants and can be a local complement for less reliable renewable alternatives. The establishment of SMRs and AMRs in inaccessible or isolated regions, or areas typically beyond the reach of traditional energy sources, can deliver carbon-neutral energy securely and support economic growth.
John Gorman, the President and CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Association, has called on global leaders ahead of COP26 to make a firm commitment to pursue a realistic, science-based approach that includes greater investment in nuclear power and learn from the collaboration between industry and government in Canada.
The ‘Yes to Nuclear’ Perspectives initiative stresses the need for clear recognition from the global community that nuclear energy is a safe, efficient and flexible source of energy and should become the international standard for the future.
