The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued its final rule to certify NuScale Power’s small modular reactor (SMR).
The milestone step will allow the Oregon-based company’s power module to become the first SMR design certified by the NRC and just the seventh nuclear reactor design cleared for use in the US.
The rule takes effect on 21 February 2023 and allows utilities to specifically reference NuScale’s SMR design when applying for a combined license to build and operate a reactor. Site-specific licensing procedures must still be completed and licensing obtained before construction can begin.
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NuScale’s SMR is a pressurized water reactor with each power module capable of generating 50MW of electricity. The company says each power module leverages natural processes, such as convection and gravity, to passively cool the reactor without additional water, power, or even operator action.
NuScale’s 12-module VOYGR-12 power plant can generate 924MW. Its four-module VOYGR-4 can generate 308MW.
VOYGR is the official name of NuScale’s SMR, which it plans to deploy for Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems’ (UAMPS) Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP) at the Idaho National Lab (INL).
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NuScale recently submitted a second standard design approval application to the NRC for its updated SMR design, which is based on the VOYGR-6, a six-module configuration powered by an uprated 250MWt (77MWe) module.
In November 2020, NuScale concluded its technology could generate 25% more power per module, at 77MWe each. As a result, the company decided to seek approval for the VOYGR-6 design instead of the 12-module configuration that was in the design approved by the NRC that year.
NuScale Chief Technology Officer Dr. José Reyes will be presenting as part of the POWERGEN International Keynote on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from NuScale in one of the company’s first public appearances following the NRC decision.
The CFPP project’s first module is projected to come online in 2029, with all six modules online by 2030. NuScale believes the six-module CFPP will act as a catalyst for subsequent SMR plant deployments across the US and beyond.
The NRC accepted NuScale’s SMR design certification application back in March 2018 and issued its final technical review in August 2020. The NRC Commission later voted to certify the design on 29 July 2022—making it the first SMR approved by the NRC for use in the United States.
“SMRs are no longer an abstract concept,” said assistant secretary for nuclear energy Dr. Kathryn Huff. “They are real and they are ready for deployment thanks to the hard work of NuScale, the university community, our national labs, industry partners, and the NRC. This is innovation at its finest and we are just getting started here in the U.S.!”
Originally published by Kevin Clark on power-eng.com
