US Certifies First Small Modular Nuclear Reactor

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(Credit: NuScale Power)

The design of the country's first ever small modular nuclear reactor has been approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The rule that allows the "NuScale" reactor to be used in the US was published in the Federal Register Thursday. This rule allows companies to build reactors that use less space, capital and labor than their traditional counterparts.

Oregon-based NuScale Power designed the design. They have been trying to certify small modular reactors (SMR) designs since 2007. The NuScale core contains up to 12 power module, which are natural circulation light-water reactors. Each module consists of a reactor core and a pressurizer. There are also two steam generators in steel. Each power module generates 160 megawatts (MWt) of thermal output (MWe) and 50 Megawatts (MWe). Each power module's lower section is submerged in a below ground pool, which acts as a heat sink. This eliminates the need for emergency diesel generators (for power interruptions) or water injectors to cool the reactor following an accident.

The seventh design of a nuclear reactor to be certified in the USA is the NuScale reactor. All the others are considered conventional nuclear reactors. The SMRs are smaller than their predecessors and can be used in areas where large nuclear plants might not be feasible. They are also smaller and easier to build, with lower upfront costs. Their modular design makes it possible to deploy them incrementally as energy demands change.

SMR supporters argue that this, in addition to their safety benefits, makes designs such as the NuScale essential for the country's growing need for carbon-free electricity. SMRs are more reliant on passive safety systems and built in leak prevention mechanisms than traditional reactors. This means that there is less room for human error during an emergency. SMRs are smaller in size, making them less vulnerable to damage from earthquakes or other natural disasters. Particularly, the NuScale surrounds its power module with 4.6-meter-wide steel vessels. These vessels can withstand much greater pressure than the 40 meter wide concrete containment vessels found at average power plants.

However, not all people are onboard with SMRs. SMRs are likely to exacerbate existing problems with nuclear waste, according to a Stanford University study. Conventional nuclear power plants produce radioactive waste, which must be isolated for hundreds and thousands of years. SMRs could increase the volume of radioactive waste by "factors of 2 to 30," requiring more management and disposal that the US currently has in place. Scientists believe that this alone will negate the other benefits of SMRs.

NRC's new rule allows nuclear power plant operators the ability to build the NuScale reactor, and then apply for the corresponding license from the NRC. Third parties cannot legally challenge individual license applications because the reactor has been officially approved for use. NuScale is currently approving a larger SMR design that can deliver 77 MWe per unit.

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By: Adrianna Nine
Title: US Certifies First Small Modular Nuclear Reactor
Sourced From: www.extremetech.com/extreme/342477-us-certifies-first-small-modular-nuclear-reactor
Published Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2023 14:30:53 +0000