Latest news with #SMR-300s
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Holtec targets US-wide nuclear reactor fleet using learnings at Palisades
June 5 - Holtec International's plan to deploy two small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Palisades nuclear plant site in Michigan by 2030 shows how developers are looking to capitalize on soaring U.S. power demand and build on existing nuclear expertise to deploy the first wave of next-generation reactors. In a partnership with Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Holtec plans to build 10 GW of SMRs in North America through the 2030s, starting at Palisades. Holtec is restarting the decommissioned 800 MW Palisades nuclear power plant and plans to install two of its SMR-300 reactor units, based on existing light water reactor (LWR) technology, at the same facility. The cost of deploying SMRs at Palisades will be lower than on sites with no atomic presence, Patrick O'Brien, Holtec International's director of Government Affairs and Communications, told Reuters Events. Existing nuclear sites offer developers a range of power and logistics infrastructure and a skilled local workforce. A proven history of safe operations can help minimise local opposition. "In having environmental data, a trained and talented workforce, and the ability to interconnect to an established switchyard, the costs will be lowered," O'Brien said. Holtec could also site up to four SMR units at the Oyster Creek nuclear power site in New Jersey, where the company plans to decommission a shuttered 625 MW boiling water reactor by 2029, he added. MAP: US operational nuclear power plant sites Holtec sees major growth potential for SMRs in the Mountain West region. A 4 GW fleet of SMR-300s could be deployed, mainly in Utah and Wyoming in the 2030s, supported by ongoing testing at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and recently passed legislation supporting nuclear power development in Utah, the company said on May 1. 'The new legislation supports our vision to start the incubation of our SMR-300 program in Utah and expand it into the Mountain West,' Holtec Chief Strategy Officer Admiral Roegge said in a statement. Nuclear pioneers The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates 60 to 95 GW of new nuclear capacity could be built at operating or recently retired nuclear power plant sites across the country, according to a study published by the DOE in September 2024. Malwina Qvist, director of the Nuclear Energy Program at the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), sees the potential for at least 80 to 100 GW at these sites. A project led by Canadian utility Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to deploy four GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 SMRs at Ontario's Darlington nuclear power plant will also benefit from existing nuclear infrastructure and workforce. The first SMR at Darlington will be the "first of its kind" in the G7 group of wealthy nations, OPG said. CHART: Small modular reactor projects by country U.S. utility Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) recently submitted a construction permit application to the Nuclear Regulation Commission (NRC) for the BWRX-300 SMR model, eyeing deployment of a first unit at its Clinch River site by 2032. TVA could have a "second-mover advantage" following the planned deployment of the technology in Canada, according to Stephen Comello, senior vice president of Strategic Initiatives at the EFI Foundation. TVA has a collaboration agreement with OPG which it said facilitates sharing of experiences that could reduce the financial risks of innovating new technology while taking advantage of both companies' extensive nuclear energy experience. Strategies to overcome cost hurdles for new nuclear - download our webinar. TVA's Clinch River site could host up to four SMRs and the company also plans to evaluate other nuclear locations for locating small reactors, a TVA spokesperson told Reuters Events. DOE funds Holtec is one of a small group of developers seeking to win funds from the DOE in a funding round for LWR SMR technology (Gen III+). Other LWR-based SMR reactors include Westinghouse's AP300 and NuScale's SMR 3. In March, the Trump administration reissued a DOE tender for $900 million in federal funding to help de-risk deployment and removed a previous requirement for community engagement, underlining their support for new nuclear. In Tier 1 funding, the DOE will provide $800 million for up to two consortia towards the deployment of Gen III+ reactors. In Tier 2, $100 million will support additional Gen III+ SMR deployments by addressing design, licensing, supply chain, and site preparation issues. If selected, Holtec would use Tier 1 funding to help complete licensing work and some initial groundwork, O'Brien said. Tier 2 funding would go towards manufacturing upgrades to prepare for SMR construction and environmental analysis for the Oyster Creek facility, where the company could install up to four SMR-300s following the Palisades project. For exclusive nuclear insights, sign up to our newsletter. Uncertainty over the cost of the first SMR reactors is a key challenge for developers looking to deploy commercial-scale units and drive down investment risks. An official cost estimate announced this month for OPG's Darlington SMR project in Canada provides insight into the potential investments required to deploy LWR SMRs in the United States, according to Comello. Construction of the four BWRX-300 SMRs at Darlington is estimated at C$20.9 billion ($15.2 billion), according to a statement released by the Province of Ontario. The cost of the first SMR is estimated at C$6.1 billion and costs for systems and services standard to all four SMRs are estimated at C$1.6 billion. Costs are expected to decline with each subsequent unit as efficiencies are gained. "That is a good estimate for a first-of-a-kind light water reactor GEN-III SMR that has a sufficient design maturity, which I think is what Holtec should be on its way to," Comello said.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Palisades owner touts ‘ultra-safe' small modular reactor
COVERT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Holtec International says it intends to build the United States' first small modular reactors at the Palisades nuclear power plant in Covert Township. 'We're here to officially launch our SMR program to deploy America's first small modular reactor, our SMR-300, by 2030,' said Rick Springman, president of Global Clean Energy Opportunities with Holtec, during a Tuesday news conference at the Palisades plant. 'The first SMR-300 units will be constructed at this very location where you all sit today, right here in Covert, Michigan.' Holtec, which owns Palisades, has been working to reopen the plant after it closed in May 2022. Last year, the federal government announced the approval of a to support the reopening of the plant, which would mark the first restart of a closed nuclear reactor in U.S. history. 'This site is now undeniably ground zero for the nuclear renaissance,' Springman said. An inside look at work to restart Palisades nuclear plant He described the SMR-300 as a new piece of technology that's 'smaller, inherently safe and easy to build.' Holtec, which has been working for more than a decade to develop the technology, says one reactor is capable of powering 300,000 homes. The technology is also 'ultra-safe,' according to Holtec CEO Kris Singh. 'We call our reactor 'walk-away safe.' It is walk-away safe. It's Fukushima-proof,' Singh said, referring to in Japan. He later acknowledged that nothing can be unconditionally safe, but said Holtec has taken into account lessons learned from decades of nuclear history. 'Every possible way a reactor way could go out of control has been considered and solutions developed and incorporated in the new reactor,' Singh said. Nuclear experts share safety plans for Palisades restart Holtec's goal is to have the first SMR-300 units on the grid by the end of 2030. At Tuesday's news conference, the company signed a cooperation agreement for the construction of SMRs with Hyundai Engineering & Construction. 'Holtec and Hyundai E&C have maintained a close and cooperative relationship since establishing our partnership in 2021,' Hyundai Engineering & Construction CEO Hanwoo Lee said. Springman said he expects the project to lead to the deployment of hundreds of SMR-300s across the world. Holtec President Kelly Trice also offered an update on the restart of the Palisades plant Tuesday, saying the plant was almost fully staffed and the process was 'on budget and on schedule.' Officials hope the plant will be up and running by October. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Company announces first US-built small modular nuclear reactors at Palisades
Holtec International, the Florida-based company seeking to bring back online the decommissioned Palisades nuclear power plant in West Michigan, announced a new, additional goal on Tuesday: deploying the first small modular nuclear reactors manufactured and constructed in the United States, with a target operational date of 2030. "This site is now undeniably ground zero for the nuclear renaissance," said Rick Springman, president of global clean energy opportunities for Holtec. Two new modular nuclear reactors, dubbed SMR-300s, are planned for co-location with the restarting Palisades plant by 2030. Each small modular reactor, or SMR, would generate approximately 300 megawatts of energy, enough to power about 300,000 homes, in addition to the Palisades plant's 800 megawatts of generation. At a signing ceremony at the Palisades nuclear plant site in Covert Tuesday, Holtec officials signed a strategic agreement with Hyundai Engineering & Construction, a Korean-based leading global construction company for nuclear projects, for the potential construction of a 10-gigawatt fleet of small modular reactors, built in North America for a national and international client base. "I believe today will be recognized as the day when new nuclear was born, in the form of small modular reactors," said Holtec CEO Kris Singh. Nuclear power, with its high-volume, carbon-free energy production, is getting a new look as many countries seek to meet significant carbon emissions reduction goals to combat climate change. And the concept of SMRs is getting global buy-in as a way to enable targeted, scalable nuclear power generation without the huge upfront costs and construction time of a full-scale nuclear power plant. "We do find in the United States and most countries of the world, the need for power is insatiable," said Holtec International President Kelly Trice. "If you look at power generation in this country over the next 40 years, there are areas of this country where (demand) is going to quadruple. And you can't do it alone with wind and solar. "While nuclear power doesn't solve all of the problems of the universe, it is very clean," he said. "It is carbon-free, and it is baseload full generation, 24-7 power." Restarting Palisades: 'Cobbled together': Environmental groups, residents hope for hearing on Palisades restart Holtec has already been at work on the SMR-300 project for over a year, doing environmental studies, including groundwater monitoring and soil borings, to choose a location on Palisades property for the first two SMR modules. Some $50 million has already been spent on site development and environmental activities, company officials said. The two SMR-300 units, in addition to the 600 megawatts of power they would generate, would also create about 1 gigawatt of thermal power. "The SMRs will be used not only for electricity generation but also for providing steam to commercial plants, which you will see come around and be created in this area," Singh said. The formal construction permitting process with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is slated to start by early next year, officials said. Holtec's pressurized, light-water SMR is considered "walk-away safe," meaning it can move heat away from the reactor core using gravity-based internal systems, without the need for external power sources, pumps or operator action. Singh called the SMRs "ultrasafe." Netflix political thriller 'Zero Day' is well-crafted series about the search for truth "Nothing in existence is unconditionally safe; there are, of course, always opportunities for failure," he said. "We have explored seven decades of nuclear energy, every lesson learned ... We have declared victory in developing an ultrasafe reactor." Some 68 SMR designs are in various stages of development globally, according to an October 2024 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency. But to date, only two SMRs are active: A floating nuclear power plant in Russia consisting of a barge with two small nuclear reactors of 35 megawatts each. In commercial operation since May 2020, the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant is docked in Pevek harbor on the Arctic Ocean, supplying heat and power to the town and region. A demonstration project called HTR-PM at China's Shidaowan site started commercial operation in December 2023. It generates 200 megawatts at full power from two reactors linked to a single power turbine. Three other SMRs are under construction according to the IAEA report, in China, Russia and at Kairos Power's Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor designed not to produce electricity but affordable heat. Singh likened the situation to the emergence of the automobile industry, when more than 40 auto companies were attempting to grow before Ford, General Motors and Chrysler emerged as the industry giants. "Whether we will be the champion I'll leave it to the future to judge," he said. More than 20 nations attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai in 2023 — including the U.S. — pledged to work toward tripling their nuclear power capacity by 2050, recognizing its ability to provide volumes of energy without carbon emissions. Other nations signed on to the pledge last year, bringing the total to 31. By executive order on the first day of his second term Jan. 20, President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, an international commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But Trump has also advocated for increased reliance upon domestic energy sources. "The Trump administration is likely to be bullish on nuclear energy, viewing it as a tool to unleash U.S. energy dominance," Jennifer T. Gordon, director for the Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center, said in an analysis last month. The Atlantic Council is a Washington-based think tank on international affairs. Brendan Kochunas, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan's Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, is a proponent of nuclear energy and the SMR concept, saying that in coming years, "we will see them deployed in large numbers." "The thinking is, it's really hard and really expensive to build the types of plants we operate and have operating," he said. Kochunas cited Georgia Power's Vogtle Units 3 and 4, the first built-from-scratch nuclear power plant in generations. The Georgia plant's nuclear units came online over the past two years, providing an additional 2,200 megawatts of generation. But the plant took 15 years to build at a cost of nearly $37 billion, more than twice its initially projected timeline and cost. SMRs, in comparison, cost far less to build and operate, in far less time. And because they are scalable, an owner-operator can get initial units generating, selling power and recovering cost as additional modules are added, he said. Though nuclear power has a carbon-free upside, the downside is the highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel on the back end. High-level nuclear waste remains extremely radioactive for tens of thousands of years and must be disposed of in such a way that it can be securely isolated for a long period of time, according to the IAEA. A proposed Yucca Mountain, Nevada, central repository for high-level nuclear waste from power generation fell apart about a decade ago amid local and state opposition. That's meant that the tons of spent nuclear fuel generated by nuclear power has remained on-site at facilities across the U.S. for decades. A 2018 Free Press investigation found that more than 60,000 tons of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel is stored on the shores of four of the five Great Lakes — in some cases, mere yards from the waterline — in still-growing stockpiles. A portion of the spent nuclear fuel is from 15 current or former U.S. nuclear power plants located around the lakes, including four in Michigan, that have generated the waste over the past 50 years or more. But most of the spent fuel volume stored along the Great Lakes, more than 50,000 tons, comes from Canadian nuclear facilities, where nuclear power is far more prevalent. The smaller, modular nature of SMRs means less spent fuel in volume, but it doesn't mean less radioactivity. A 2023 IAEA report on the back end of the fuel cycle for SMRs noted that the technology leads to "higher thermal outputs and criticality risks" than spent fuel from a more conventional nuclear power plant, and that safety measures and spent fuel pool storage must account for it. Singh said spent fuel from the SMR-300 units would be stored on-site at Palisades in underground casks that could safely hold it for 120 years. If there is a national repository by that time, the waste could then be shipped there, he said. "I personally think that by that time, used nuclear fuel will become as valuable as oil became after the internal combustion engine was developed," he said. "People don't realize that 95% of the energy from the used fuel has not been extracted yet." Matthew McKinzie, senior director of data and policy at the Science Office of the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council, sounded a more cautionary, skeptical note on SMRs. "The most important thing to know about SMRs is that they don't exist in a commercially viable way," he said. "There is no real-world data on the performance of SMRs, as none have been manufactured at scale." SMRs are at an economic disadvantage due to their lower power output compared to traditional reactors, McKinzie said. That results in less revenue for the owning utility while the cost of construction is not similarly proportionally smaller. "For SMRs to play any role in the future, the technology must address concerns around cost, environmental radiation, nuclear waste and nuclear weapons proliferation," he said. "Absent meeting these challenges, the technology is unlikely to succeed." But Holtec's Springman on Tuesday at the Palisades ceremony sounded a far more optimistic tone. "Just as we did for the restart, I am proud that our company, our team and our partners our willing to raise our hands: 'We will go first.'" Contact Keith Matheny: kmatheny@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Holtec plans first US-built modular nuclear reactors at Palisades
