Rolls-Royce and Fermi Energia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the potential for the deployment of a UK-developed small reactor in Estonia.
The study will cover all aspects of deployment, including network suitability, reactor cooling, emergency planning zones, human resource planning, licensing feasibility, plant economics and supply chain.
Rolls-Royce leads the UKSMR, a consortium developing a small modular reactor in the UK. The cost of building a reactor with standardised, off-the-shelf components is significantly lower than for the large nuclear plants built so far, and the short construction time will help to reduce the risk of delays and associated costs.
The UKSMR consortium, together with the UK government and external partners, plans to build a series of 440 MW reactor-based nuclear power plants over a decade to help the world meet its carbon neutrality commitments under the Paris climate agreement.
Members of the consortium are nuclear engineering and design companies, as well as various companies with expertise in nuclear plant related infrastructure, such as Assystem (engineering consultancy), Atkins (engineering and project management consultant), BAM Nuttall (one of Europe's largest construction companies), Jacobs (international engineering services company), Laing O'Rourke (engineering company), National Nuclear Laboratory (UK National Nuclear Services Company), Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (UK National Nuclear Development Centre), Rolls-Royce and TWI (UK Development and Technology Organisation).
According to Tom Samson, CEO of the UKSMR Consortium, nuclear energy is central to climate change, economic recovery and energy security. "Nuclear energy must be reliable, affordable and investment-friendly. The way we produce the components and build the plant makes it cost competitive with offshore wind farms. It will also stimulate the labour market and economic growth, and is suitable for the production of grid electricity as well as other alternative low carbon fuels. Nuclear power is the best choice for decarbonisation worldwide," said Samson.
"This is a convincing plan that has a definite role to play in Estonia's low-carbon energy future. We are delighted to be working with Fermi Energy to find ways to make this a reality as soon as possible," added the CEO of the Rolls-Royce consortium.
Fermi Eneriga is reviewing and benchmarking, with credible technical, financial and political commitment, small modular reactor development projects that would establish the first reactor plant of its kind in the US, Canada or the UK in the current decade.
"The Rolls-Royce SMR is certainly a worthy reactor candidate, thanks to the UK government's strong political commitment to nuclear energy and serious commitment to climate neutrality objectives, with the right level of public funding for its development. Estonia and the UK have been friends for a hundred years, and this cooperation could be continued in the field of nuclear energy in the 21st century. Fermi Energia is considering the Rolls-Royce small reactor as one of the technical options in its application for a national special planning application to formally identify the detailed environmental impacts and suitability of this technology for potential sites." confirmed Kalev Kallemets, CEO of Fermi Energia.
In addition to the Rolls Royce small modular reactor, Fermi Energy is evaluating technologies from a number of other reactor developers, such as GE Hitachi BWRX-300, Moltex Energy SSR-W300, NuScale, Terrestrial IMSR-400 and Ultra Safe Nuclear Company. The final choice of technology will be made no sooner than the first reactor type of its kind has been licensed, built and proven in the US, Canada or the UK.