Laka-library: NuScale’s Small Modular Reactor. Risks of Rising Costs, Likely Delays, and Increasing Competition Cast Doubt on Long-Running Development Effort (2022)

Publication Laka-library:
NuScale’s Small Modular Reactor. Risks of Rising Costs, Likely Delays, and Increasing Competition Cast Doubt on Long-Running Development Effort (2022)

Author	D.Schlissel, D.Wamsted, IEEFA Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
	6-01-3-60-12.pdf
Date	February 2022
Classification	6.01.3.60/12 (NUCLEAR SAFETY - REACTORS - OTHER TYPES, SMALL MODULAR REACTORS)
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From the publication:

NuScale’s Small Modular Reactor
Risks of Rising Costs, Likely Delays, and Increasing Competition Cast 
Doubt on Long-Running Development Effort

David Schlissel, Director of Resource Planning Analysis
Dennis Wamsted, Energy Analyst
February 2022
The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA)

Executive Summary
Too late, too expensive, too risky and too uncertain. That, in a nutshell, 
describes NuScale’s planned small modular reactor (SMR) project, which has 
been in development since 20001 and will not begin commercial operations 
before 2029, if ever.
As originally sketched out, the SMR was designed to include 12 independent 
power modules, using common control, cooling and other equipment in a bid 
to lower costs. But that sketch clearly was only done in pencil, as it has 
changed repeatedly during the development process, with uncertain 
implications for the units’ cost, performance and reliability.
For example, the NuScale power modules were initially based on a design 
capable of generating 35 megawatts (MW), which grew first to 40MW and then 
to 45MW. When the company submitted its design application to the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission in 2016, the modules’ size was listed at 50MW. 
Subsequent revisions have pushed the output to 60MW, before settling at 
the current 77MW. Similarly, the 12-unit grouping has recently been amended, 
with the company now saying it will develop a 6-module plant with 462MW of 
power. NuScale projects that the first module, once forecast for 2016, will 
come online in 2029 with all six modules online by 2030.
While these basic parameters have changed, the company has insisted its 
costs are firm, and that the project will be economic.

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Publication Laka-library:
NuScale’s Small Modular Reactor. Risks of Rising Costs, Likely Delays, and Increasing Competition Cast Doubt on Long-Running Development Effort (2022)

Publication Laka-library:NuScale’s Small Modular Reactor. Risks of Rising Costs, Likely Delays, and Increasing Competition Cast Doubt on Long-Running Development Effort (2022)

Publication Laka-library:
NuScale’s Small Modular Reactor. Risks of Rising Costs, Likely Delays, and Increasing Competition Cast Doubt on Long-Running Development Effort (2022)