SMALL MODULAR REACTORS | CLIMATE


only the biggest players can shoulder the burden and risk of the capital associated with developments. The smaller size and diversity of reactors can also mean


they can be built in locations not traditionally suitable for nuclear power plants, or close to power-intensive industries or remote communities. This allows them to serve areas of the world that rival power solutions cannot reach, potentially replacing highly inefficient and polluting power sources such as diesel generators. SMRs can also be deployed on old coal plant sites,


providing employment and improving local acceptability. Taking advantage of existing infrastructure, including electrical switchyards and existing turbine generators, could reduce SMR construction costs and avoid the need to build new transmission lines.


Support is widespread Governments have been quick to see the potential. After years of setbacks in the UK in developing the next generation of large nuclear power plants, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised funding and political support to develop the next generation of small and advanced reactors as part of his government’s Ten point plan for a green industrial revolution. In the US, President Biden has set goals of achieving


100% carbon-free electricity production by 2035 and reducing net CO2


emissions to zero by no later than 2050.


Biden’s energy platform specifically cites advanced nuclear as part of “critical clean energy technologies,” and his administration also plans to create an Advanced Research Projects Agency for climate that will have a specific focus on modular reactors. Canada released its own SMR Action Plan in December, while nations such as Estonia and Poland are looking closely at the technology as it becomes more apparent that renewables will generate only a small portion of the clean energy the world will need by 2050. Some of the biggest industrial companies and utilities have also gotten behind the technology. Reactor designs are being developed by companies including Rolls-Royce, NuScale Power and TerraPower (which includes Bill Gates as an investor). EDF said earlier this year that it sees a huge global market developing for small reactors over the next decade to replace fossil-fuel generators. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, there are currently almost 70 different SMR technologies under development, a significant increase from just a couple of years ago.


Challenges remain, namely regulation Regulation has always been a challenge in nuclear plant development, and that is likely to remain the case for SMRs. Licensing risk has long been a difficult and controversial


issue in nuclear power, and has had significant attention from policy makers, the public and environmentalists. If there is a widespread rollout of SMRs it will be unlikely to avoid this scrutiny. Given the required oversight at all levels of development, the prospect of delays, cost overruns and disputes remain, particularly in the initial rollout of new technologies. The industry must also overcome many of the


perceptions of previous generations. There is no guarantee www.neimagazine.com | October 2021 | 21 Global generation shares from coal and low-carbon sources, 1971 – 2020


40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0


1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Other renewables Solar PV Wind Nuclear Low-carbon Coal Source: IEA


that SMR producers will not face the same obstacles that have plagued developers of traditional nuclear power. There is also the challenge of convincing industrial


users — a customer that seems well suited for SMRs — that SMRs can compete with natural gas or proven renewables such as wind and solar. The nature of SMRs mean they will have to be built close


to the communities they serve, raising new challenges for public engagement, especially around the issue of waste.


Unlocking the SMR’s full potential The SMR has widespread political support. The technology offers carbon-free power that is reliable, safe, and can be built and deployed without less cost and complexity than traditional nuclear power. In a world where almost investment decisions will be


measured against its climate impact and whether it is compatible with the Paris climate goals, the SMR offers a solution without many of the drawbacks that have hobbled its larger predecessors. But there are challenges to overcome and, as is always the case with nuclear power, this can be costly and protracted. The champions of the SMR will have to work with all stakeholders, from governments and investors to the wider public, to ensure its potential is fully unlocked. ■


0% 5 10


Age profile of nuclear power capacity in selected regions, 2019 1 20


5


25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100% 39 35 30 29 21 23 7


Less than 10 years Source: IEA 10 to 30 years More than 30 years


Average age (years)


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