According to the UK-based engineering specialists, the team used the pioneering Local Electron-Beam Welding (LEBW) and it took less than 24 hours to complete four, thick, nuclear-grade welds, typically requiring a year of work to complete.

The vessel had a diameter of three meters and a wall thickness of 200mm. The construction of the vessel therefore showcases the capabilities of LEBW and sets a new standard for weld-joining thick-walled components.

Professor Jesus Talamantes-Silva, research, design and technology director at Sheffield Forgemasters, commented in a statement: “We are delighted to have reached a significant milestone in assembling a nuclear vessel demonstrator, using electron beam welding for the first time at this scale, with 100% success and no defects.”

Sheffield Forgemasters deployed specially developed parameters, fine-tuned during the welding development stage, including innovative sloping-in and sloping-out techniques to start and finish the weld, ensuring a clean and complete weld-join.

Dr Michael Blackmore, senior development engineer and project lead, said: “The implication of this technology within the nuclear industry is monumental, potentially taking high-cost welding processes out of the equation.

“Not only does this reduce the need for weld-inspections, because the weld-join replicates the parent material, but it could also dramatically speed up the roll-out of SMR reactors across the UK and beyond, that’s how disruptive the LEBW breakthrough is.”

The demonstration of LEBW technology’s potential opens new horizons for more efficient, low cost and less time-heavy nuclear assemblies and also has implications for other projects which require thick-walled welded assemblies.

Dr Jacob Pope, development engineer and LEBW machine tool installation lead, added: “We thank the Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for enabling the project through its Nuclear Innovation Program. We also thank our esteemed partner, Cambridge Vacuum Engineering, for their invaluable support throughout this endeavor. Their remote and on-site assistance played an instrumental role in the success of this milestone, highlighting the collaborative spirit that drives us forward.”

Sheffield Forgemasters will work on an upcoming joint industrial project supported by participants from the USA and UK. The objective is to initiate a code case or multiple cases to facilitate the deployment of this technology.

Originally published by Pamela Largue in Power Engineering International.

With SMRs expected to represent the next generation of nuclear technology and a considerable research effort well under way, the Alliance is intended to help coordinate further developments with closer cooperation among the involved stakeholders to deliver the technology in the fastest and most efficient way.

In particular the Alliance, the latest of the region’s industrial alliances, is aimed to reinforce the nuclear supply chain in Europe by identifying and addressing gaps in its manufacturing and innovation capacity.

Specific terms of reference include supporting SMR project promoters to develop, demonstrate and deploy their projects in the EU market and beyond and establishing ways to inform and engage potential industrial users of SMRs, such as energy-intensive industries, hydrogen producers and urban districts.

The Alliance also is tasked to focus on facilitating and coordinating projects to address future research and innovation needs and establishing a nuclear skills academy as well as promoting public engagement about SMRs.

“[The] launch of the EU Industrial Alliance on small modular reactors will bring together the technology side and energy companies to make the most of safe and versatile new nuclear technologies,” said commissioner for energy, Kadri Simson, at the launch.

“We want this Alliance to deliver benefits in very practical terms – through full engagement on nuclear safety, using European supply chains and by boosting innovation for new technologies.”

The launch of the Alliance, while long mooted, comes following an EC communication on Europe’s 2040 climate target, which highlighted the need for all clean energy technologies, including nuclear, to deliver on it.

To achieve its goals, the Alliance will be required to formulate a strategic action plan, together with technology roadmaps, to identify inter alia the most promising and cost-effective SMR technologies, investment barriers and future needs for research.

Other potential actions include establishing ways to engage potential SMR industrial users of SMRs and strengthening exchanges between project promoters and regulators in the EU.

The call for membership is now open and running to April 12 for applications from stakeholders including vendors, utilities, specialized nuclear companies, financial institutions, research organizations, training centers and civil society organizations.

An inaugural general assembly for the Small Modular Reactor Alliance is expected in late spring.

Originally published by Power Engineering International.

In a new report, the Institute describes SMRs as vital for achieving net zero by 2050 but while the concept has been gaining traction across the world for quite a while, overall progress in the sector over the last 10 to 15 years has been modest.

Moreover the emerging sector faces a complex interplay of technological, economic, and geopolitical factors that influence and to some extent constrain the technology adoption and scalability.

Market prospects

An estimated 70 SMR designs are believed to be in development currently, with potential market segments including both on-grid and off-grid power supply, advanced co-generation, and transport applications.

While optimistic forecasts have suggested that the global SMR fleet could reach around 350GWe by 2050, the Institute’s base case scenario estimates it “more realistically” in the region of 150-170GWe.

Nuclear’s Evolution is an educational track at the POWERGEN International® exhibition and summit, which serves as an education, business and networking hub for electricity generators, utilities, and solution providers engaged in power generation. Join us from January 23-25, 2024, in New Orleans, Louisiana!

The Institute anticipates that few SMRs will start operating before 2030 and for the first wave of deployments to occur around 2030-2035, predominantly featuring light water generation III+ designs.

Those projects are likely to face delays averaging 1-3 years, along with significant cost overruns compared to initial schedules and estimates.

Advanced (generation IV) SMRs, despite ambitious targets, are likely to encounter more substantial delays due to more complex licensing, supply chain, and fuel supply issues.

While some demonstration units may still come online by 2030-2035, full-scale first-of-a-kind deployment and subsequent series factory manufacturing are more likely to materialize closer to 2040.

The Institute also states that if current trends persist, in the context of regulatory and geopolitical fragmentation, Russian and Chinese designs are poised to dominate with nearly 40% of the global SMR fleet by capacity.

For example, Russia’s Rosatom, with pre-selected designs including the Gen III+ RITM-200 and Shelf-M and Gen IV SBVR-100, is set to replicate its success in large reactor exports. Supported by government subsidies and export finance, and offering a ‘plant-as-a-service’ model, Rosatom is expected to surpass 7GWe of operational SMR capacity by 2040.

China, set to launch the world’s first onshore SMR unit with Linglong One (ACP100), will see this design, along with Hualong One (HPR1000), as a flagship export. Backed by state support, China’s SMR designs are expected to comprise 6.5GWe by 2040, scaling up to over 30GW by 2050, with export priorities along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Support for SMR programs

The report suggests that to compete with Russia and China, OECD countries should consider equivalent support for their SMR programs.

Recommendations are:
● Supply-side support should be complemented with strong demand-side incentives, targeting priority applications like coal-fired power station replacement and diesel generation replacement for larger off-grid customers.

● All remaining restrictions should be removed on SMR-based clean energy solutions by international development institutions along with export finance options being streamlined and international trade advocacy services offered.

● Nuclear regulators should be encouraged to collaborate in developing at least partial common standards, with mutual recognition of pre-licensing design and factory certification for SMRs, as well as to share knowledge, information, and expert networks, particularly regarding innovative technologies.

● Firms should be encouraged to form competitive global alliances combining vendors, potential international plant operators, and key supply chain partners capable of competing with Russian and Chinese national champions in the ‘plant-as-a-service’ lifecycle energy solutions segment.

“The world needs an initiative of the magnitude of the Marshall Plan to help the most carbon-intensive regions replace their aging coal-fired plants with SMRs,” says NNWI Chairman Tim Yeo.

“Policy support for SMR technologies must be ramped up and carefully targeted to ensure we meet our mid-century net zero goals and facilitate timely completion of the clean energy transition.”

Top SMR projects

The report also identifies the 25 top projects that, due to a combination of business and technological performance drivers, are most likely to be deployed and secure a significant market share by mid-century.

In light of intense internal and external competition and the limited size of the market, first-mover advantage will be critical, with rapid series deployment driving success in the SMR market, the report emphasizes.

Late entrants, even those with more advanced technology, are likely to find it harder to scale up.

First movers with demonstration plants expected to become operational around 2030, in addition to the Russian RITM-200 and China’s Linglong One, are NuScale’s VOYGR and GE-Hitachi’s BWRX-300 boiling water reactor.

Other designs with deployment prospects closer to 2035 include the Rolls-Royce SMR in the UK, EDF’s NUWARD project in France, the SMART SMR from KAERI and BANDI-60 from KEPCO in South Korea, and Holtec’s SMR-300 and Westinghouse’s AP300 in the US.

Originally published by Jonathan Spencer Jones in Power Engineering International.

Based on Standard Power’s plans for the two facilities, NuScale will provide 24 units of 77 MWe modules, which together will produce 1,848 MWe of clean energy at sites in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The facilities will be developed together with global energy development and production company ENTRA1 Energy.

In 2022, NuScale formed an exclusive partnership with ENTRA1 Energy to commercialize its SMR technology. Through this partnership, ENTRA1 Energy has the rights to develop, manage, own and operate energy production plants powered by NuScale’s approved SMR technology.

Maxim Serezhin, Standard Power founder and CEO commented in a statement: “We see a lot of legacy baseload grid capacity going offline with a lack of new sustainable baseload generation options on the market especially as power demand for artificial intelligence (AI)-computing and data centers is growing.

“We look forward to working with ENTRA1 and NuScale to deploy NuScale’s proven SMR technology to deliver carbon-free, baseload energy to address this large gap in the generation market,” added Serezhin.

NuScale technology is the only SMR technology that has received design approval from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

NuScale’s SMR technology is scalable and can be used for various uses, including; power generation, district heating, desalination, commercial-scale hydrogen production and other process heat applications.

The power modules are fully factory-fabricated and operate with conventional nuclear fuel.

Originally published by Power Engineering International.

The announcement, according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, could result in billions of pounds of public and private sector investment in small modular reactor (SMR) projects in the UK.

It’s a step forward in the country’s mission to boost energy security and decrease dependence on fossil fuels and is being hailed by the UK government as a “massive revival of nuclear power.”

Besides the SMR technology, the UK government said in a statement that it “remains committed to the mega projects of Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C and will work with GBN to consider the potential role of further large gigawatt-scale nuclear power plants in the UK energy mix.”

Minister for Nuclear Andrew Bowie said: “I look forward to seeing the world-class designs submitted from all around the world through the competitive selection process, as the UK takes its place front and centre in the global race to unleash a new generation of nuclear technology.”

Announced at the same time as GBN’s competition launch, the government also committed to a grant funding package of up to £157 million ($203 million).

Up to £77.1 million ($99 million) will be available for companies to accelerate advanced nuclear business development in the UK and up to £58 million ($75 million) for the further development and design of a type of advanced modular reactor (AMR) and next-generation fuel.

The winning projects of this latest phase of funding are:

• £22.5 million ($29 million) to Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation UK in Warrington to further develop the design of a high temperature micro modular reactor
• £15 million ($19 million) to National Nuclear Laboratory in Warrington to accelerate the design of a high temperature reactor
• £16 million ($21 million) to National Nuclear Laboratory in Preston to continue to develop sovereign coated particle fuel capability
• £22.3 million ($29 million) from the Nuclear Fuel Fund will enable projects to develop new fuel production and manufacturing capabilities

In 2022, the UK confirmed the first state backing of a major nuclear project in over 30 years, investing £700 million ($903 million) in Sizewell C. The government is now working towards its ambitious target of providing up to a quarter of the UK’s electricity from domestically-produced nuclear energy by 2050.

Jasbir Sidhu, president of the Nuclear Institute commented on the statement: “I’m pleased to see the UK is back in action on Nuclear. It’s vital we realize new nuclear projects for electricity generation if we have any chance of reaching 24 GW nuclear capacity by 2050, as well as capitalizing on the big export opportunity of SMRs”.

In terms of next steps, GBN will select those technologies which have met the criteria and then enter into detailed discussions with those companies as part of an Invitation to Negotiate phase.

The selection will take place in the Autumn.

Originally published on Power Engineering International.

The funding round was led by VTT, Yes VC and Lifeline Ventures.

According to Steady Energy, the funding will be used for research and development work and to build a full-scale demo plant powered by electric heat.

The Low-temperature District heating Reactor or LDR-50 is a small modular nuclear reactor with a heat output of 50 MW, which has been in development at VTT since 2020.

The LDR-50 is sufficient for heating a small city. A single heating plant can have multiple reactors and can be modified to produce steam for industrial purposes.

It’s designed to operate at around 150 degrees Celsius and below 10 bar (145 psi), operating conditions less demanding than those of traditional reactors, stated Steady Energy.

“The pressure required by the LDR-50 reactor is comparable to the pressure of a household espresso machine. It operates at a lower pressure than a district heating network. This ensures that in case of a malfunction which leads to a leak, the leak is contained within the heating plant, without endangering people or the environment,” says Tommi Nyman, CEO of Steady Energy.

The LDR-50 nuclear reactor uses a passive heat removal solution which makes it safer. The LDR-50 reactor module is made of two nested pressure vessels, with their intermediate space partially filled with water.

When heat removal through the primary heat exchangers is compromised, water in the intermediate space begins to boil, forming an efficient passive heat transfer route into the reactor pool.

The system does not rely on electricity or any mechanical moving parts, which could fail and prevent the cooling function.

“Nuclear power know-how, national energy policy and the world’s leading district heating network provide the world’s best starting point for Steady Energy to start its business specifically in Finland,” says Timo Ahopelto, Founding Partner at Lifeline Ventures.

The project has been part of VTT LaunchPad, an incubator connecting VTT researchers and technology with industry and investors.

“On top of being safer than traditional reactors, SMRs are more affordable. We’re setting up a demonstration plant for district heating purposes ideally in Finland, but our long-term plan is to have several plants operating around the world, producing carbon-neutral heat to homes, offices and for various industrial applications,” said Tommi Nyman, CEO of Steady Energy.

According to the European Environment Agency, heating and cooling account for half of the final EU energy use.

A third of all energy in the European Union (EU) is used for heating and hot water in buildings, 72% of which comes from burning gas and oil.

Originally published by Power Engineering International.

In the meeting, NuScale Power representatives confirmed plans to conduct a study to locate a site in the Philippines to develop a small nuclear power system.

According to President Marcos, the Philippines has a power supply shortfall and small modular reactor technology could help ease the situation.

“We need everything. We just have to have everything and this new technology is something,” the President said.

NuScale’s small modular reactor (SMR) technology was developed by nuclear scientists supported by the US government and is currently the only technology to receive design approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Among the NuScale officials present in the meeting were Clayton Scott, executive vice president for business, and Cheryl Collins, director for sales. Also present were Speaker Martin Romualdez, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Special Assistant to the President Secretary Antonio Lagdameo Jr., Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil, and Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez.

NuScale’s ambitions in Korea

The Philippines announcement follows NuScale’s recent signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Korea’s Doosan Enerbility and Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM).

The agreements aim to strengthen collaboration between the three parties specifically in the areas of marketing, technical support, and further development of a global supply chain.

Doosan and NuScale also plan to strengthen cooperation to deploy NuScale VOYGR plants globally.

Commenting on the collaboration, a source from Doosan Enerbility said: “Today’s event garnered worldwide attention as it was where South Korea and the United States proclaimed the vision of partnering up to jointly target the global SMR market. It looks like the expectations for greater synergy and market growth is what attracted all these leading companies here from both countries.”

KEXIM and NuScale also signed an MoU in which they agreed to financial cooperation in support of deploying NuScale VOYGR plants. According to NuScale, KEXIM’s assistance will support the deployment of VOYGR plants worldwide and utilize a Korean supply chain when deploying NuScale plants in the Asian market.

(Originally published by Power Engineering International)

The PIPE is targeted at the business combination between NuScale and Spring Valley Acquisition Corp., and increases the total PIPE commitment for the transaction to $236 million.

Nucor is one of the largest steel and steel products companies in North America. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Nucor has more than 300 operating facilities.

Nucor said in a statement that as a significant energy consumer, it is looking for “safe and reliable” sources of power generation that are consistent with its sustainability goals. It said that small modular reactor (SMR) development is “critical to ensure our nation has carbon-free, baseload power.” 

With the Nucor commitment, NuScale and Spring Valley have lined up $55 million in additional PIPE funding since announcing their business combination agreement in December. 

The $236 million in total PIPE proceeds, along with more than $232 million in a Spring Valley trust account, will be used to accelerate commercial deployment of NuScale’s SMR technology.

Earlier in April, Japan NuScale Innovation (JNI) and Japan Bank for International Corp. (JBIC) bought $110 million in NuScale Power equity from Fluor Corp. Fluor remains the majority owner of the Oregon-based SMR.

In 2021, NuScale received investments from Japanese companies, JGC Corporation (JGC) and IHI Corporation (IHI), which together formed JNI. With this latest announcement, JNI becomes the second-largest investor in NuScale Power and will hold approximately 8-9% of the company. Japan recently began discussions on a new clean energy strategy to reach net-zero by 2050, with development of nuclear technology seen as playing a key role.

In December, NuScale Power and Spring Valley Acquisition Corp. reached a merger agreement with an estimated enterprise value of $1.9 billion. Under the agreement, NuScale would receive up to $413 million of gross cash proceeds, including a $181 million private investment anchored by Samsung C&T Corp., DS Private Equity, Segra Capital Management and Pearl Energy. 

The recent transaction involving Nucor is expected to close in the second quarter. It is subject to approval by Spring Valley’s shareholders as well as other customary closing conditions.

Nucor said it has also supported the development of solar and wind energy projects through three Power Purchase Agreements it has entered into in the past two years. Those agreements are expected to help enable the construction of 600 MW of renewable power generation. 

Under the terms of the agreement, NuScale expects up to $413 million of gross cash proceeds, including a $181 million private investment in public equity (PIPE) vehicle anchored by Samsung C&T Corp., DS Private Equity, Segra Capital Management and Pearl Energy. NuScale said it will use the proceeds to fund its path to commercialization and expects no additional capital requirements between closing and achieving positive free cash flow.

Upon completion of the transaction, Fluor projects to control around 60% of the combined company, based on the PIPE investment commitments and the current equity and in-the-money equity equivalents of NuScale Power and Spring Valley.

NuScale’s small modular reactor technology is capable of generating 77 MWe that can be arranged to provide up to 924 MW of generating capacity. In 2020, the design received Standard Design Approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 

Existing NuScale shareholders, including majority owner Fluor, will retain their equity in NuScale and roll it into the combined company. Fluor will also continue to provide NuScale with engineering services, project management, administrative and supply chain support. Additional investors in NuScale include Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction, Samsung C&T Corp., JGC Holdings Corp., IHI Corp., Enercon Services, Inc., GS Energy, Sarens and Sargent & Lundy.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2022 and is subject to approval by Spring Valley’s shareholders as well as other customary closing conditions.

Guggenheim Securities, LLC is acting as financial advisor to NuScale and Fluor. Cowen is acting as financial advisor and lead capital markets advisor to Spring Valley. Guggenheim Securities, LLC and Cowen acted as placement agents to Spring Valley in connection with the PIPE offering.

Stoel Rives LLP is acting as legal counsel to NuScale, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is acting as legal counsel to Fluor, White & Case LLP is acting as legal counsel to the placement agents and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal counsel to Spring Valley.