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SMRs Are Set to Bring a Groundbreaking Innovation to Life: The First Floating Nuclear Power Plants

  • Westinghouse and Core Power have teamed up to create floating nuclear power plants equipped with eVinci reactors.

  • The ultra-compact eVinci reactor can generate up to 5 MWe and operate for more than eight years without refueling.

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American nuclear power supplier Westinghouse Electric Company and British nuclear engineering company Core Power have partnered to undertake an intriguing project. They plan to develop floating nuclear power plants utilizing Westinghouse’s ultra-compact eVinci reactors. The initiative aims to create portable nuclear power plants that can be conveniently transported across seas and oceans to supply electricity to islands, ports, coastal communities, and various industries.

The ultra-compact eVinci reactor, with a fourth-generation modular design, is at the core of the project. Notably, it’s even more compact than the more popular small modular reactors. Additionally, its specifications are particularly promising. The eVinci reactor can deliver up to 5 MWe and is designed to operate under a wide range of environmental conditions and temperatures. Moreover, it’s fully assembled at the Westinghouse factory and can function for more than eight years without requiring any nuclear refueling.

Core Power CEO Mikal Bøe, the CEO of Core Power, recently said, “There’s no net-zero without nuclear. A long series of identical turnkey power plants using multiple installations of the Westinghouse eVinci microreactor delivered by sea, creates a real opportunity to scale nuclear as the perfect solution to meet the rapidly growing demand for clean, flexible and reliable electricity delivered on time and on budget.”

Bøe’s remarks highlight the ambitious vision behind the project. While it looks promising on paper, it’ll be fascinating to see whether the nuclear plants can ultimately fulfill the expectations.

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The Future of Nuclear Fission Lies in Fourth-Generation Reactors

Physicists and engineers developing the eVinci reactors are working on designs that may significantly differ from previous generations. However, the new floating nuclear power plants need to meet certain requirements.

First, they must achieve maximum sustainability. This means plants should use fuel as efficiently as possible for energy production. They should also minimize the amount of radioactive waste produced and ensure effective waste management.

Safety and reliability must be sufficiently high to reduce the risk of damage to the reactor core.

Second, the financial investment needed to establish and maintain the new nuclear power plants should be as low as possible. This is crucial to making floating plants competitive with other energy sources and reducing financial risks.

Finally, safety and reliability must be sufficiently high to reduce the risk of damage to the reactor core. In the event of an accident, emergency measures beyond the nuclear power plant’s facilities should be unnecessary.

The requirements set for fourth-generation nuclear power plants are ambitious, aiming to eliminate many of the shortcomings found in earlier designs. In this context, China is leading the way. In fact, the world’s first fourth-generation reactor began commercial operation in January.

The high-temperature reactor-pebble med modules (HTR-PM) reactor is of entirely Chinese origin. It’s located at the Shidao Bay-1 nuclear power plant in Shandong province in East China. Interestingly, it uses helium as a coolant and graphite as a moderator.

Image | Core Power

Related | Texas Is Getting a New Nuclear Reactor at an Unexpected Location: A University

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