SUBSCRIBE
PROFILE

Four European organisations join forces to develop innovative nuclear reactor

A new European consortium launches the design of a small lead-cooled modular reactor, targeting global commercialisation by 2039, with a demonstration scheduled as early as 2035.

Share:

Gain full professional access to energynews.pro from 4.90$/month.
Designed for decision-makers, with no long-term commitment.

Over 30,000 articles published since 2021.
150 new market analyses every week to decode global energy trends.

Monthly Digital PRO PASS

Immediate Access
4.90$/month*

No commitment – cancel anytime, activation in 2 minutes.

START NOW — 4.90$/month

*Special launch offer: 1st month at the indicated price, then 14.90 $/month, no long-term commitment.

Annual Digital PRO Pass

Full Annual Access
99$/year*

To access all of energynews.pro without any limits

SUBSCRIBE — 99$/year

*Introductory annual price for year one, automatically renewed at 149.00 $/year from the second year.

Sign up for free to unlock this article

Four European institutions in the nuclear sector have officially created the Eagles Consortium to develop and commercialise the EAGLES-300, a fourth-generation lead-cooled modular nuclear reactor. The partnership agreement was signed on the sidelines of the European Energy Council, gathering Belgian, Italian, and Romanian government officials.

A strategic European partnership

The project involves Belgium’s Nuclear Energy Research Centre (SCK-CEN), Italy’s National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Italian firm Ansaldo Nucleare, and Romania’s nuclear research organisation RATEN. The agreement was finalised in the presence of several high-level political representatives, including Mathieu Bihet, Belgian Minister of Energy, and Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security.

The EAGLES-300 reactor falls within the European Industrial Alliance initiative on Small Modular Reactors (SMR), launched by the European Commission. Selected the previous year under the designation EU-SMR-LFR, it is one of two projects chosen by the Alliance for accelerated development by 2030.

A reactor with advanced features

With an estimated power output of approximately 350 megawatts electric (MWe), this reactor will offer features adapted to the current needs of electricity grids, with increased flexibility for industrial heat supply and hydrogen production. Its modular design aims to lower initial investment costs, shorten construction periods, and facilitate more flexible deployment.

The EAGLES-300 will utilise Mixed Oxide Fuel (MOX), incorporating recycled materials. This approach should enhance fuel management efficiency, notably reducing radioactive waste generation.

Two test sites in Belgium and Romania

The consortium plans two distinct facilities for technical testing: the LEANDREA site in Mol, Belgium, primarily dedicated to fuel and material evaluations, with an operational target set for 2035. Meanwhile, the ALFRED (Advanced Lead Fast Reactor European Demonstrator) facility in Pitești, Romania, will be upgraded to prepare for future global commercial operations planned for 2039.

ENEA Director General Giorgio Graditi stated: “The consortium will greatly benefit from its members’ complementary expertise in lead cooling technology.” According to Graditi, this synergy will reinforce the consortium’s European position as a benchmark for lead-cooled reactor technology.

Cristian BuÈ™oi, Romanian Secretary of State for Energy, highlighted the integration of this project within Europe’s energy strategy, supported by European initiatives such as the Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNETP) and the European Sustainable Nuclear Industrial Initiative (ESNII), focused on developing fourth-generation nuclear reactors.

  • Popular on energynews.pro
Hitachi injects $1bn into transformer manufacturing to strengthen US grid interconnection
Baker Hughes to deliver geothermal equipment to Fervo Energy for 300 MW capacity
Brazil requests full membership in the International Energy Agency
Shell halts its biofuels plant in Rotterdam amid strategic trade-off
China redefines electric vehicle strategy around technological innovation
French and Belgian nuclear industry groups sign strategic cooperation agreement
The Groupement des Industriels Français de l'Énergie Nucléaire and the Belgian Nuclear Forum formalise a partnership aimed at strengthening industrial exchanges and joint projects between the two countries’ nuclear sectors.
IAEA urges Iran to resume nuclear inspections as time runs out
The International Atomic Energy Agency warns that little time remains to reach an agreement with Iran on fully resuming inspections, as European sanctions could be reimposed within 30 days.
Westinghouse and EDF reactors deemed viable for Slovenia’s JEK2 nuclear project
Slovenia’s JEK2 project moves forward with two nuclear technologies judged technically compatible, estimated between EUR9.31bn ($10.1bn) and EUR15.37bn ($16.66bn).
Oklo invests $1.7bn in nuclear recycling plant in Tennessee
US-based Oklo will build the country’s first privately funded nuclear fuel recycling centre in Oak Ridge, investing $1.7bn and creating over 800 jobs.
TVA and ENTRA1 seal historic agreement for 6 GW of SMR reactors in the United States
The Tennessee Valley Authority partners with ENTRA1 Energy to develop up to 6 gigawatts of modular nuclear capacity, in an unprecedented project supporting energy growth across seven U.S. states.
IAEA: Iran held 440.9 kg at 60% before Israeli strikes
A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency puts Iran’s 60% enriched uranium at 440.9 kg before Israeli and U.S. strikes, while the agency’s access to enrichment sites has remained suspended since the operations.
Westinghouse strengthens UK supply chain for nuclear reactors
US-based Westinghouse has signed six industrial agreements in the UK to supply critical components for its AP1000 and AP300 nuclear projects in Britain and abroad.
NANO Nuclear secures $1.25mn contract for KRONOS MMR microreactor
NANO Nuclear Energy receives direct funding from the US Air Force innovation branch to assess the integration of its KRONOS MMRâ„¢ microreactor at the Washington D.C. military base.
EDF extends two nuclear reactors in the United Kingdom until March 2028
EDF extends the operation of Heysham 1 and Hartlepool by one year after favourable safety inspections, ensuring continuity of nuclear production and safeguarding more than 1,000 jobs.
Rosatom prepares new nuclear projects in India and Turkey
Russian nuclear group Rosatom has confirmed advanced discussions with India and Turkey to launch new power plants, including advanced and floating reactor technologies.
Uranium traces detected in Syria at site linked to former Israeli airstrike
The International Atomic Energy Agency has identified uranium particles of industrial origin in samples taken from a Syrian site suspected of hosting an undeclared nuclear reactor.
Norway launches assessment process for two nuclear projects
Norwegian authorities begin the first regulatory phase for two modular nuclear reactor projects, marking a strategic step in the national review of the potential role of nuclear energy in the country’s power mix.
India accelerates its nuclear program to join the global top 5
With eleven reactors under construction and major projects such as Jaitapur, India is preparing a nuclear build-up that could place it among the world’s five leading nations in the sector.
Paris and Berlin agree on an energy roadmap including nuclear power
France and Germany have validated a joint energy roadmap, including a commitment to the non-discrimination of nuclear energy in European financing.
Putin and Pezeshkian to discuss Iranian nuclear program under European pressure
Russia and Iran seek to strengthen their nuclear cooperation as the E3 activates the sanctions mechanism against Tehran, reigniting tensions over compliance with the 2015 Vienna agreement.
Natura Resources secures federal and Texas backing for molten salt reactor
US-based Natura Resources has secured strategic funding and key permits for its MSR-1 nuclear reactor, backed by public funds and enriched fuel allocation from the Department of Energy.
Seoul and Washington open talks on nuclear fuel reprocessing
The United States and South Korea have agreed to initiate discussions on reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, marking a potential strategic shift in the long-standing bilateral agreement.
AP1000 reactor certification extended in the US until 2046
The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted a 40-year extension for the AP1000 reactor design certification, supporting its long-term construction domestically and deployment abroad.
Nano Nuclear partners with Dioxitek to strengthen Argentina’s nuclear supply chain
Nano Nuclear Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding with Dioxitek, Argentina’s only uranium supplier for nuclear fuel, to assess the development of local conversion and enrichment capacities.
Sweden lifts uranium mining ban to revive nuclear industry
Stockholm plans to restart uranium extraction by lifting the 2018 ban, aiming to secure strategic supply chains and support domestic nuclear electricity production.

Log in to read this article

You'll also have access to a selection of our best content.