There is no point in running, you have to start on time. Jean de la Fontaine’s famous tirade also applies to the market for SMRs, these small nuclear reactors which France wants to promote notably through its Nuward model. From the start, the French project has been criticized for its slowness. “What will the device be used for if the first concrete is poured in 2030? Competitors will have already taken the market and the new EPRs will theoretically be on the verge of arriving,” summarizes an expert, skeptical from the start.
But while the exhibition dedicated to civil nuclear power (WNE) opens this Tuesday, November 28 and the French government will take the opportunity to reaffirm French ambitions in the field of small innovative reactors, the teams from EDF, the CEA, from TechnicAtome, Naval Group, Framatome and Tractebel – the consortium behind Nuward – can rejoice behind the scenes. Because one of their direct competitors, the American Nuscale, is facing some difficulties. Despite significant support from the federal government, its flagship project located in Idaho did not attract sufficient subscriptions. It will therefore not see the light of day due in particular to an increase in costs.
“Since the start, Nuscale has announced a very competitive but untenable price per megawatt hour. Unsurprisingly, the company has gradually lowered its ambitions,” comments a French source who adds: “For our part, we are confident in our schedule. We know 95% of what we put in our SMR. These are components already used in large reactors.”
An SMR for Marseille or Corsica
Of course, Nuward also features some great innovations. This is not a simple miniature replica. Its heat exchangers, its plate steam generators and its “soluble boron-free” control must enable the installation to serve several purposes (production of electricity, heat hydrogen, CO2 capture, desalination of water from sea…) while increasing the level of safety (with Nuward, a Chernobyl type accident is no longer possible).
Despite these innovative elements, French specialists promise an acceptable cost per megawatt hour. But will Nuward find enough customers? Regions that already have large power plants are undoubtedly ready to accommodate smaller units, a member of the consortium argues. Several countries such as the Czech Republic, Finland, Poland and Sweden would also be interested, Nuward having been designed to advantageously replace coal-fired power plants still in operation.
“We will still have to go out and meet people to debate and explain. Because the acceptance of nuclear power remains a subject,” says an expert cautiously. Even if these are small installations. A few months ago, the President of the Republic mentioned the possible establishment of an SMR in Marseille. “These small models could also be useful in Corsica or in overseas territories, thinks a nuclear specialist. But there will undoubtedly be a big outcry.”