He points out that the NRC has issued its final safety report in spite of questions raised both by an expert at the agency and an external advisory board. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. What just happened? Some industry proponents argue that SMRs are the best option for bringing large amounts of emissions-free technology online in the short term to help battle climate change. August 02, 2022 12:23 PM. The NRC accepted NuScales SMR design certification application in March 2017. About 1/10 to 1/4 the size of a traditional nuclear energy plant, SMRs feature compact, simplified designs with advanced safety features. For a start, control rods used to stop the fission reaction by encasing the fuel rods are held above the reactors core by an electric motor. Julia Musto is a reporter for Fox News and Fox Business Digital. Others, however, argue that renewables alone will not be enough to meet the enormous energy demands of a truly carbon-free society, and that developing nuclear energy is one of the best strategies to get the world off its fossil fuel addiction. We may earn a commission from links on this page. Fox News national correspondent William La Jeunesse details the scientific breakthrough on nuclear fusion and what this means for clean energy on 'Special Report.'. 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Agreements for some of the power are in place, although a few municipalities have already walked away because of price concerns. Yes, its exciting stuff, but nuclear has faced a mountain of challenges in recent decades, thanks to several factors. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission certified a design for an advanced small modular reactor (SMR) for the first time. NRC approval means the SMR is now the seventh reactor design cleared for use in the United States. Secretary Jennifer Granholm hosts a Department of Energy news conference in Washington, D.C., Dec. 13, 2022. Perhaps even more importantly, notes Ramana, SMRs are unlikely to be ready in time to contribute to the climate fight. They are also designed to be much safer than existing reactors. The rule that certifies the design was published Thursday in the Federal Register. The SDA application was submitted in a number of transmittals between the period of November 23, 2022, and December 31, 2022. A reactor designed by Oregon-based energy company NuScale Power has become the first small modular reactor design approved for use in the US by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), paving the way for new plants that utilize the reactor. (Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images). A small modular nuclear reactor just got US approval a big milestone Modular reactor pioneer NuScale finally got one of its designs certified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, but the company is still years away from a deployment. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Thanks for reading Scientific American. The April report addressed GE-Hitachi's containment evaluation method for the BWRX-300.6 The May report concerned Terrestrial's methodology for developing a postulated initiating events list for the integral molten salt reactor.7 The technology has some powerful boosters though, not least President Joe Biden, who recently touted NuScales groundbreaking American technology while announcing a grant for an SMR plant the company will build in Romania. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the design, which was published Thursday in the Federal Register, from NuScale, an Oregon-based reactor company.The publication of the design in the . The certification [PDF] was given to NuScale for its SMRs: 76-foot tall, 15-foot wide (23m . Thanks for reading Scientific American. The small reactors can produce about 60 megawatts of energy, or enough to power more than 50,000 homes. Following approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), NuScale plans to build an SMR plant at the Idaho National Laboratory. This is then used to drive a turbine that generates electricity. But some experts have expressed concerns over the potential expense and remaining safety issues that the industry would have to address before any such reactors are actually built. Other than mining uranium, Cameco also provides fuel services to nuclear power plants. Could Brain-Computer Interfaces Lead to Mind Control for Good? Supporters of SMRs have long touted them as a way to help revive the countrys nuclear industry and widen the spread of low-carbon electricity. Heres a look at two that Wall Street analysts like and another method to gain exposure if you dont want to pick winners and losers. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently announced its approval of the designs for a first-of-its-kind small modular reactor (SMR). In a historic ruling, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission certified the design of NuScale's 50-megawatt power module, the first small modular reactor and just the seventh reactor design ever. The final safety evaluation report issued by the NRC is the first of its kind for a SMR and represents the technical review and NRC staffs approval of the NuScale SMR design. The heated water then rises up towards steam generators, which use the heat from the water to produce superheated steam. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, dozens of SMR designs are under consideration around the world, and several are in advanced stages of construction in Argentina, China and Russia. That knocks the price down to $1,500 from $2,300, which is 35% off. Some designs are estimated to operate for 40 years without refueling. It currently has 47 holdings. NuScale is currently working on a six-module demonstration plant in Idaho that will be fully operational by 2030; the company said this month that its estimates for the price per megawatt hour of the demo plant had jumped by more than 50% since its last estimates, in an uncomfortable echo of ballooning costs associated with other traditional nuclear projects. NuScale and other companies that succeed in building next generation reactors could receive for the first time lucrative production tax credits contained in last year's Inflation Reduction Act signed by Biden. The regulator is also reviewing the nations first boiling water SMR design developed by GE-Hitachi. For many, nuclear power is emerging as an answer as states and countries transition away from coal, oil and natural gas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stave off the worst effects of a warming planet. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Get the latest news from Singularity Hub! "SMRs are no longer an. Its unique design allows the reactor to passively cool itself without any need for additional water, power or even operator action. Many Member States are focusing on the development of small modular reactors, which are defined as advanced reactors that produce electricity of up to 300 MW(e) per module. They also display an enhanced safety performance through inherent and passive safety features, offer better upfront capital cost affordability and are suitable for cogeneration and non-electric applications. Together with large, traditional reactors and other advanced reactors, SMRs are expanding the nuclear energy . The U.S. Energy Department said it provided more than $600 million since 2014 to support the design, licensing and siting of NuScales VOYGR small modular reactor power plant and other domestic small reactor concepts. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Concerns about costs and safety remain, however. (NuScale) for a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) design. Since the stock trades at around $10.10 today, the price target implies a potential upside of 78%. Previously, in July 2019 CNNC announced it would start building a demonstration ACP100 SMR by the end of the year. In an article in Counterpunch, nuclear power expert M.V. It is working with the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems to demonstrate a six-module NuScale VOYGR plant at Idaho National Laboratory, with the first module expected to be operational by 2029. They utilize components that can be factory-builtminimizing costs, improving quality and reducing construction schedules. Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, September 19, 2022. Lyman says that in general, the NRCs design certification process should reduce uncertainty for utilities aiming to build nuclear plants because they can reference a completed safety review. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Just because a design is on the books doesnt mean that its smooth sailing for the industry or that all our grids are going to be powered by carbon-free nuclear electricity in a few years. What Are Small Modular Reactors? The publication of the design in the Register allows utilities to select this type of reactor when applying for a license to build a new nuclear facility. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC, approved the first of these smaller reactor designs for power generation, a 50 MW concept from NuScale Power, on Jan. 19 of this year. Schlissel, who has studied the history of the nuclear power industry and the finances of the NuScale project, expects they will continue to go up, which could limit how many NuScale reactors are built. Legal Statement. The Agency also helps them address common infrastructure issues that could facilitate the SMRs deployment. Italy poised to decide whether to block Lukoil refinery sale, Oil prices settle down, post big weekly losses on bank fears, Equinor sees "a lot of interest" in long-term gas deals, CEO says, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway rejects call for silence on hot-button issues, Boeing signs deal with U.S. army to build 184 AH-64E Apache helicopters, Low dissolved oxygen levels behind mass fish death in Australian river, Goldman Sachs loses around $200 mln in market upheaval following SVB collapse - FT, Bed Bath & Beyond announces reverse stock split plan, shares drop. The department is working with Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems to demonstrate a six-module NuScale VOYGR plant at the Idaho National Laboratory. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced the first-ever certification Friday of a small modular reactor design, a big step in the process of developing a new generation of new and more flexible nuclear reactors. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. Small modular reactors, known as SMRs, solve some of these thorny issues by being made from parts that are able to be manufactured in a factory and then shipped to the site, making them far less expensive and time-consuming to construct, in addition to taking up less space. The latest generation of small modular reactors, or SMRs, are designed to be put together in a factory and shipped out to build a power plant, unit by unit. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. A customer could also order and combine various numbers of units, making a wide range of capacity possible. The NuScale Power logo is seen displayed on a smartphone, Oct. 5, 2022. For the first time, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has . . SMRs could cost more than bigger nuclear plants, he adds, because they dont have the same economy of scale. The pace of nuclear development is also a challenge for some climate advocates, who say that the industry is too slow to respond to the immediate need to decarbonize. but also for the entire U.S. nuclear sector, dozens of SMR designs are under consideration around the world, highlighted significant issues associated with the UAMPS project, discussed a complicated issue known as boron dilution. Global interest in small and medium sized or modular reactors has been increasing due to their ability to meet the need for flexible power generation for a wider range of users and applications and replace ageing fossil fuel-fired power plants. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC, approved the first of these smaller reactor designs for power generation, a 50 MW concept from NuScale Power, on Jan. 19 of this year. or redistributed. 23 January 2023 Jan 23, 2023, 12:17 PM PST. This is a lot of TV for the money, and it also happens to be one of the best 4K TVs you can buy right now, according to Gizmodo. NuScale has . Cameco operates uranium mines in Canada, the U.S., and Kazakhstan. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has awarded approval to nuclear leader NuScale for its small, modular reactor design. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Read more: Here's how much money the average middle-class American household makes how do you stack up? NEW CRP: Challenges, Gaps and Opportunities for Managing Spent Fuel from Small Modular Reactors (T13021), Japan, Czech Republic Latest Countries to Join Forum Dedicated to Safe and Secure Deployment of SMRs, Vienna International Centre, PO Box 100 The NRC approved the reactor design from NuScale Power, making it the first SMR design to be certified by the regulator and only the seventh reactor design cleared for use in the United. The award is . NRC approval means the SMR is now the seventh reactor design cleared for use in the United States. My main areas of interest are engineering, computing and biology, with a particular focus on the intersections between the three. NuScale and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff examined boron dilution in great detail and reached similar conclusions that the NuScale small modular reactor design is safe and meets all requirements, as is affirmed by the NRCs recent issuance of the FSER, NuScales Hughes says. Small modular reactors still produce nuclear waste, which some environmentalists say is a concern that cant be overlooked as the industry develops. You can score the 75-inch Samsung Q70A QLED 4K TV for a whopping $800 off. If you would like to learn more about the IAEAs work, sign up for our weekly updates containing our most important news, multimedia and more. The design, from the Portland, Ore.-based company. Diane Hughes, NuScale's vice president of marketing and communications, said the design certification is a historic step forward toward a clean energy future and makes the company's VOYGR power plant a near-term deployable solution for customers. Tellingly, some utilities have already backed out of NuScales first project over cost concerns. The move wasnt exactly a surprise, because the design passed its final safety evaluation back in 2020, but it is a crucial step towards actually deploying the technology in the field. But he thinks the NuScale approval undermines that advantage. Small modular reactors, deployable either as single or multi-module plant, offer the possibility to combine nuclear with alternative energy sources, including renewables. A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in May found that contrary to the claims of SMR makers, these smaller reactors are actually likely to produce more radioactive waste than conventional plants. A-1400 Vienna, Austria The country's nuclear power regulator has just certified the design for NuScale Power Corp's SMR, marking a significant step toward developing these next-generation power plants, which some say could be used to sustainably power data centers. The hope is that these extra safety featurescombined with reduced costs due to the ability to mass-manufacture these reactors in a factory rather than on-sitecould lead to a renaissance in nuclear power. The US Energy Department has provided more than $600 million to the project since 2014. The business started out as a university research project in 2002. NuScale also hopes to build SMRs in Romania, Kazakhstan and Poland, despite concerns from nuclear safety experts who say Russia's invasion of Ukraine and occupation of the Zaporizhzhia plant should make the industry think seriously about developing plants in the region. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. In addition, they offer options for remote regions with less developed infrastructures and the possibility for synergetic hybrid energy systems that combine nuclear and alternate energy sources, including renewables. In recent years though, a crop of new companies have emerged promising to sidestep many of these concerns by shrinking reactors down. Nuclear power could play an important role in decarbonizing the energy sector, but reactors are simply too expensive and complicated to roll out quickly. The U.S. has just given the green light to its first-ever small modular nuclear design, a promising step forward for a power source that remains controversial among some climate advocates but is experiencing a popular renaissance. Reactor designs ACP100. Brandon Vigliarolo. Hughes said from wind and solar to hydrogen and nuclear, energy projects have seen cost increases due to changing financial market dynamics, interest rate hikes and inflationary pressures on the sector's supply chain that have not been seen in decades. Engineering giant Rolls-Royce also recently announced a shortlist for the location of its future SMR factory, which will be used to build 16 SMRs for the UK government by 2050. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved the design of a new kind of reactor, known as a small modular reactor (SMR). SMRs typically generate 300500 megawatts (MW) of electric power, though some produce less than 100MW. The NRC will undertake another review when the companys 60-MW design is submitted. advanced reactor and small modular reactor (SMR) technical review approaches and preapplication activities. The NuScale Power logo is seen displayed on a smartphone, Oct. 5, 2022. The milestone is the direct result of more than $400 millionin funding by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) since 2014 to accelerate the development and deployment of SMRs. NuScale Power (SMR) develops small modular nuclear power reactors for power generation. Water is passed over a series of uranium fuel rods that generate heat through fission reactions. These reactors will be built offsite and installed onsite. NuScale said this month the target price for power from the plant is $89 per megawatt hour, up 53% from the previous estimate of $58 per MWh. In August of 2020, the NRC approved a design for an SMR from NuScale Power, LLC. That knocks the price down to $1,500 from $2,300, which is 35% off. Each module is designed to generate 50 megawatts of energy, but the company plans to combine up to 12 SMRs to achieve similar outputs to conventional nuclear plants. While some SMRs under development rely on exotic new designs that use molten uranium or thorium salts as a fuel, the NuScale reactor, which has been named VOYGR, is not dramatically different from traditional full-scale ones. "This is innovation at its finest and we are just getting started here in the U.S.. A high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor began operating in 2021. NuScales first scheduled project is with Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS), a state-based organization that supplies wholesale electricity to small, community-owned utilities in surrounding states. DOEs support for the NuScale Power module can be traced back to the inception of its design at Oregon State University back in 2000. "SMRs are no longer an abstract concept," said Kathryn Huff, assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the Department of Energy. NuScale has active projects where it hopes to eventually implement its new design in Idaho, Wisconsin and Missouri. Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesperson Scott Burnell told CNBC that this marked the first nuclear reactor to achieve initial criticality since May 2016. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's approval, published in the Federal Register late on Thursday, clears a hurdle for NuScale. The SMR is now the seventh reactor design a smartphone, Oct. 5, 2022 in March 2017 notes! Biology, with a particular focus on the intersections between the period of November 23,,!, SMRs feature compact, simplified designs with advanced safety features, Wisconsin small modular reactor approved Missouri ( ). That can be factory-builtminimizing costs, improving quality and reducing construction schedules have emerged to! Since 2014 around $ 10.10 today, the US nuclear Regulatory Commission 's approval, published in Federal! The first time generators, which some environmentalists say is a reporter for Fox News and Fox Digital. Units, making a wide range of capacity possible reactor ( SMR ) review... 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