Nuclear power: Big gains for small reactors, here's why

NEW DAWN FOR NUCLEAR POWER? Nuclear power could be set for a “new dawn”, says the International Energy Agency (IAEA). Some compelling reasons: high reliability, and zero CO2 emissions. Countries that count on nuclear power for more than half of their electricity generation include France (72%), Slovakia (55%) and Hungary (53%); it’s more than 18% in the US and 20% in Russia. A growing interest in small modular reactors (SMR) indicate nuclear power is poised for a resurgence — across the world. Photo shows young bikers next to a full-scale nuclear power plant in France.

BIRTH OF NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION: Sixty-nine years ago, on June 27, 1954, the world's first nuclear power station at Obninsk was connected to the Moscow grid, making it the first nuclear reactor that produced electricity industrially, albeit at small scale. That’s when humanity became aware of the emergence of a new source of energy for electricity production without producing CO2 — the scourge of major densely-populated metropolises. Today, Russia operates 38 nuclear power units at 11 sites (including floating nuclear power plant. This nuclear power plant was shut down in 2002 to house a nuclear power museum.

HOW NUCLEAR ENERGY HELPS: Amid today’s global energy and the climate crisis, reducing greenhouse gases and reliance on imported fossil fuels have become the top energy security priority for many nations. Nuclear energy, with around 413 gigawatts (GW) of capacity operating in 32 countries, already contributes to the goal of rapid and complete decarbonisation of power generation and net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases. Japan’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, with a net capacity of 7,965MW, is the world’s biggest nuclear power plant.

DESIGNS: There are over 70 commercial SMR designs in development around the world. Three small modular reactors (SMRs) were already operational in 2022 — located in Russia, China, and India, according to Statista. That’s in addition to the 160+ ships (mostly subs, icebreakers, aircraft carriers) powered by more than 200 small nuclear reactors.

INNOVATION: Latest developments in nuclear power includes Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and micro-reactors. SMRs, with power output below 300 MWe, boast inherent safety features, portability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Micro-reactors, with up to 10MW output, are factory-made and transportable, similar to this Zeus design from Nano Nuclear, a US company. By design, SMRs and micro-reactors are suited for various settings, from industrial applications to remote areas.

ZERO EMISSIONS: For 7 decades, nuclear power technology has proven its reliability. Today, it accounts for about 10 per cent of the world’s electricity. In 2021 nuclear plants supplied 2,653 TWh of electricity, up 4% from 2,553 TWh in 2020. In 2022, 7.9 GW of new nuclear power capacity was brought online, a 40% jump on the previous year. China completed two reactors in 2022. Photo shows “Lenin”, world's first nuclear-powered surface ship, a large icebreaker built by the Soviet Union in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) in 1957. The Lenin (Length: 134-metres), displaced 16,000 tons, and cruised in normal waters at 18 knots (33 km/h). There are more than 160 ships today powered by more than 200 small nuclear reactors. 

PROGRESS IN SMR: The US plans to test its first SMR in 2024, aiming for commercial operation by 2026, a major development in nuclear power. Russia has a floating SMR. China, India, France, Japan, Argentina, Czech Republic and others have their own SMR projects. This highlights SMRs' significance in meeting future energy demands with innovative nuclear technology. Photo taken September 14, 2019 shows Akademik Lomonosov, Russia's first floating nuclear power plant arriving in its permanent location in the Chukotka region. It supplies heat and power to the town of Pevek. The floating reactor is is based on two KLT-40S reactors generating 35 MWe each, which are similar to those used in a previous generation of nuclear-powered icebreakers, like the "Lenin".

REGULATORS: Regulators around the world are also updating their systems and rules. The SMR Regulators Forum (SMR RF), a peer-to-peer platform founded in 2015, are working together to identify and address key regulatory challenges related to SMRs by developing common positions and informing changes, if necessary, to relevant requirements and practices.

OLDEST, NEWEST US NUCLEAR REACTOR: Nuclear power plants actually started small. CP-1 (Chicago Pile #1), was the world's first experimental pile (reactor) to produce a sustained chain reaction in January 1942. It operated at 200 watts maximum. On May 26, 1958, the first full-scale commercial nuclear power plant in the US was switched on at Shippingport Atomic Power Station. As of August 1, 2023, the US had 93 operating commercial nuclear reactors at 54 nuclear power plants in 28 states.

RELIABLE POWER: The average age of US nuclear reactors is about 42 years old. The oldest operating reactor, Nine Mile Point Unit 1 in New York, began commercial operation in December 1969. The newest reactor is Unit 3 at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia (photo while under construction), launched on July 31, 2023. The trend towards small modular reactors emerged in the last decade. Until 2020, no truly modular SMRs had been built. In May 2020, the first prototype of a floating nuclear power plant with two 30 MWe reactors - started operation in Pevek, Russia.

COMPELLING NUMBERS: Nuclear power helps avoid 1.5 gigatonnes (Gt) of global emissions and 180 billion cubic metres (bcm) of global gas demand a year. Proponents of nuclear power believe the technology remains a viable and reliable option to reach “net zero” emissions of greenhouse gases by around 2050 and a complete decarbonisation of electricity and heat production.

SHARE OF NUCLEAR POWER: As of May 2023, there were 436 nuclear power reactors (NPR) in operation in 32 countries around the world. The US had the largest number of NPRs in operation at the time, at 93 units. The share of nuclear power, however, has slid from 17.7 per cent in 1996 to 10% in 2019, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). That’s partly due to rising cost of traditional nuclear power generation, concerns over Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima-types of accidents, as well as the rise in renewables.

WHAT ARE SMRS? They are smaller versions of nuclear power plants, designed to be modular and portable. The portability makes it suitable for deployment in various scenarios, such as remote or off-grid locations, hospitals, disaster recovery sites, and military installations. SMRs are not just a promise, number of units are already operational. Micro-reactors, have always been used (in ships and icebreakers). Now, they have grabbed significant attention among economic planners and policy makers in recent years.

BUSY FIELD: There’s a worldwide boom in SMRs; the field is busy – several companies and governments are developing their own designs. Diverse teams are at work – BWXT, X-energy, NuScale Power, Nano Nuclear, Rosatom, Moltex Energy, Oklo, Holtec, Kairos Power, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, TerraPower, Rolls Royce, EDF – to usher in the drive towards micro-reactors. In January 2023, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued its final rule in the Federal Register to certify NuScale Power’s small modular reactor. The power module is the first NRC- certified SMR design and just the seventh reactor design cleared for use in the United States. It could equip pave for a new clean power source to help drive down emissions.

SMALLEST NUCLEAR REACTOR: Russia’s Bilibino Nuclear Plant is the smallest nuclear reactor in operation today. The facility has four 12-MWe modular reactors operating since 1974. The EGP-6 light water graphite-moderated reactors, is located in Russia’s Chukotka Region. It uses AMB-100 reactors with a total capacity of 48-MW. According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), Bilibino Unit 1 was shut down in 2018; units 2-4 were to be shut down in December 2021 after the floating nuclear power plant at Pevek was switched on, but in 2019, unit 2 was given a license extension to 2025. 

AMERICA’S MARVEL SMR: The US is also developing “Marvel” reactor at the Idaho National Laboratories (INL) for off-grid nuclear power solutions. By next year (2024), “Marvel” (the 53rd nuclear reactor to be built at the lab) will be tested on the grid. Small enough to be transportable, this microreactor is designed to generate in the range of 1 to 20 megawatts (MW) and will be a key tool to advance microreactor technologies in the US.

WHAT ABOUT WIND AND SOLAR? Wind and solar are expected to “lead the push” toward clean energy. But due to intermittency of both wind and solar, and absent improvements in batteries, they need to be complemented by rapidly “dispatchable” resources. After hydropower, nuclear power remains the second-largest source of zero-emissions power. With its "dispatchability" and growth potential, nuclear – in countries where it is accepted – can help ensure secure, diverse zero-emissions electricity that is also proven reliable and generally safe..