What does SMR stand for?

Artist's impression of SMRs for data centres from Nuclear Reimagined by Third Way with permission. The Nuclear Energy Agency has published the latest version of the NEA Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Dashboard.

What is a small modular reactor (SMR)?

Here are ten examples of small modular reactor (SMR) designs: NuScale Power Module: This pressurized water reactor (PWR) design from NuScale Power in the United States is a scalable system that can be deployed in units of up to 12 modules. Each module has a capacity of 60 MW, and the entire system can produce up to 720 MW.

How many MW is a SMR reactor?

So far, the reactor only exists in theory, the only testing done with computer simulations. A large reactor concept has been designed, but the small modular design is still being conceptualized. NuScale Power is the only SMR manufacturer currently licensed by the NRC. The license cover the reactor rated at 50MW.

How much does SMR cost?

The target cost is £1.8 billion for the fifth unit built. The consortium developing the design is seeking UK government finance to support further development. In 2017, the UK government provided funding of up to £56 million over three years to support SMR research and development.

What is the IMSR plant?

The IMSR Plant is a 2x195 MWe / 2x442 MWt SMR plant design being developed by Terrestrial Energy based in Oakville, Canada. The reactor is proprietary molten salt reactor design that builds on two existing designs: the Denatured Molten Salt Reactor (DMSR) and Small Modular Advanced High Temperature Reactor (smAHRT).

When will SMRs be built?

The first SMRs are expected to be built this decade, followed by accelerated deployment around the world in the 2030s. As a class of reactors, SMRs are defined by their smaller size, but there is considerable variety within this class of reactors; they vary by power output, temperature output, technology and fuel cycle.