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AKE: Arbeitskreis Energie

AKE 2: Processes and Materials for fossil-free Energy Technologies

AKE 2.3: Talk

Tuesday, March 11, 2025, 11:45–12:00, HS HISKP

Some Facts on Small Modular Reactors — •Matthias Englert and Christoph Pistner — Öko-INstitut e.V., Rheinstr. 95, 64295 Darmstadt

Small Modular Reactors (SMR) are frequently discussed in the public as relevant for the next decades to reach climate goals and to transition to future energy systems. We present data on the technological readiness of and current status of research and development on those reactor concepts and best estimates on their economic viability and timelines for deployment based on sources from literature and the nuclear industry. The focus is both on light water reactor based SMR designs as well as on alternative reactor concepts such as metal-cooled fast reactors, gas-cooled high-temperature reactors and liquid-fuelled molten-salt reactors. For these SMR concepts, extensive research and development work has been taking place for several decades and in some cases since the middle of the last century. Nevertheless, until today no commercially competitive reactor concept exists in the field of SMR. The most extensive technical experience - besides light water cooled systems - is available for sodium cooled and high temperature reactors. However, proof of reliable operation under economic boundary conditions is still required. We finish this talk by summarizing general advantages and disadvantages of the competing SMR systems regarding criteria such as safety, fuel supply and waste disposal, proliferation.

Keywords: Small Modular Reactors; SMR; Nuclear; Climate; Energy