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Trawsfynydd will host an SMR reactor

Trawsfynydd, Wales is in discussions with NuScale for a nuclear site on the edge of the village.

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Trawsfynydd, Wales is in discussions with NuScale for a nuclear site on the edge of the village.

A commercial rivalry

Trawsfynydd is in the midst of talks with the Welsh government to bring small modular reactors (SMRs) to the UK. The site is located in North Wales. NuScale says it is ready to implement its SMR technology at the site.

The Trawsfynydd site could thus accommodate SMR technology, as could the Gwynedd site. Gwynedd has a target date of 2027 for construction. In Trawsfynydd, three potential sites exist and have an agreement with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).

Rolls-Royce SMR and Balfour Beatty signed memoranda of understanding to plan the construction of SMR reactors. These would be Holtec SMR-160 pressurized light water reactors. The company plans to initiate the UK regulatory validation process.

A technology to be deployed

NuScale argues that its SMR VOYGR technology is already in development. All that remains is to deploy it on the sites. Tom Mundy, President of VOYGR, states:

“We think we’re in a good position to be able to move forward. It’s not like we have to develop the technology again and then move forward with the projects.”

According to NuScale, the government has an interest in supporting SMR technology as part of the overall UK energy equation. The VOYGR 12 design can accommodate up to 12 NuScale power supply modules. The total gross production is then 924MWe.

The NuScale power module is also a pressurized water reactor for generating steam. The integrated heat exchange in a single unit generates 77MWe. It is the first SMR to receive design approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

 

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