BWRX-300 Linda

Fermi Energia has selected GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 small modular reactor for deployment in Estonia by the early 2030s.
We gave it an Estonian but also an international name Linda.

GE Hitachi keevaveereaktorite kümnes põlvkond

BWRX-300 on GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy välja töötatud keevaveereaktorite disainidest uusim, kümnes põlvkond. Selles kasutatavad tehnoloogiad on tõestanud töökindlust eelnevates reaktoripõlvkondades ning uuemad lahendused on läbinud litsentseerimise USA tuumaohutusametis NRC. Tegu on 300 megavatise elektrivõimsusega väikese moodulreaktoriga, mis kasutab loomuliku tsirkulatsiooniga vesijahutust (pumbad pole reaktori ohutuse tagamiseks vajalikud). Kasutatud on passiivseid ohutussüsteeme, mis hoiavad reaktori igas olukorras ohutus olekus ilma inimese sekkumiseta.

The construction of the first reactor of its kind will be carried out by the energy company Ontario Power Generation 2024-2025 in Canada and will be put into commercial use in 2027-2028. in.

Main features

Smaller – The BWRX-300 station fits on a land area of 170 x 280 meters. The grid connection switchyard, cooling tower, office, parking lot, warehouse and other necessary auxiliary buildings are within the boundaries of this area. The emergency planning zone is estimated to be about 8 hectares.

Cheaper – compared to a conventional nuclear power plant, the BWRX-300 plant uses 90% less concrete. The construction volume of the BWRX-300 is also 50% smaller per produced electricity (MW). The simplicity of the design and the proven performance of previous generations of boiling water reactors make the BWRX-300 60% cheaper than other small reactors. The estimated cost of one reactor is 1 billion euros.

Safer - passive safety systems reduce the risk of accidents, caused by the loss of cooling water. Reactor steam condensation and cooling systems based on nature laws, ensure the safety of the reactor without human intervention, even in the most severe case of an unlikely accident, for at least a week. After which it is sufficient to add cooling water using a conventional water pump or fire truck pump. It is also sufficient to use one of the four water reservoirs to cool the reactor.

In Estonia 2031-2035 - Ontario Power Generation, an energy company based in Canada, begins construction of the first reactor of its kind in 2024-2024 and it will enter commercial use in 2027-2028. During this construction, it is possible to monitor and evaluate the process and make preparations for construction in Estonia. 

Main parts of the station

Main technical parameters

Reactor typeBWR – boiling water reactor
Electric power output300 MWe
Thermal power output870 MWth
CoolantH2O
Neutron moderatorH2O
Designed lifespan60 years (extendable)
Capacity factor95%
Ability to regulate power50-100% daily, 0.5% per minute
Fuel cycle12-24 months
Fuel typeUO2
Fuel enrichment (average)3,4%
Emergency fuelNot needed
Estimated probability of nuclear damageLess than 10‑7 per reactor year
Construction time (for 1 + n reactor)26 months
Construction cost (for 1 + n reactor), estimated1 billion euros for the plant's first reactor, construction cost will lower with next reactors
Cost of electricity generation, estimated50-60 €/MWh

Source: aris.iaea.org

Can be done also in Estonia

Established efficient supply chain
The reactor and its main components (steam separator, steam dryer, control rods and their actuators) as well as the isolated condensation system are used in many reactors. Experienced manufacturers exist in the USA, Canada, Japan, Mexico and Europe (GE Power's turbine factories in France and generator factories in Poland). The supply chain does not have to be built from scratch.

Conventional components
The steam turbine and generator are off-the-shelf technologies produced by GE on a large scale. For example the TOPAIR generator has been manufactured, shipped and synchronized by GE in 3,570 units worldwide. Fermi Energia, in cooperation with Estonian mechanical engineering and manufacturing companies (Estanc, Estonian Heavy Indistries, Scanweld, BLRT, Maru, Aquaphor, Kunda Nordic Cement, etc.), is convinced that almost 30% of the components can be produced and delivered from Estonia.

Familiar to regulators
Both in the USA and in Europe (Switzerland, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Germany) there are several energy companies with long-term safe and economical experience dealing with boiling water reactors. There is a group of BWR owners and a Japanese BWR Operator Training Center. Technology is familiar to national regulators and many technical support organizations. GE Hitachi has performed maintenance and replacement for dozens of reactors. The long-term operation of reactors (aging management) for 40-50 years is well known.