3 Overview per technology of the small modular reactor projects being monitored by ASN and IRSN Table 2 presents the list of the ten SMR projects currently being monitored by ASN and the French Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), ranked according to the degree of technological maturity of the reactor. A distinction must in particular be made between: • nuclear reactors cooled and moderated by light water This technology accounts for the vast majority of the reactors currently being operated worldwide. • reactors known as “Generation IV” These reactor technologies, already known and explored for many years now, had so far only led to the development of a few experimental or prototype reactors, with no industrial scale operation. In 2015, IRSN evaluated the maturity of these various technologies and identified the needs for development of scientific and technical knowledge. IRSN had concluded that only sodiumcooled Fast Neutrons Reactors (SFRs – such as the Phenix and Superphenix reactors which were operated in France) and hightemperature gas-cooled reactors using graphite as a moderator, offered usable Operating Experience Feedback (OEF) for envisaging a transition to a possible industrial phase in the short term. This difference in the maturity of the various technologies notably means that some projects are beginning with an experimental reactor development phase before envisaging the development of an industrial prototype. 4 Implementation of a framework of incremental technical exchanges with ASN and IRSN In order to optimise preparations for any creation authorisation applications for these various innovative reactor projects, and in order to mobilise resources proportionate to the level of development maturity of each project, a four-phase framework of incremental technical exchanges (see Table 3) was set up: PHASE 1 Screening phase During a short meeting, the project developer is asked to present the following to ASN and IRSN: ∙ the main characteristics of its reactor project (technology, power, form of energy output, size of target market in number of reactors, type of site, etc.); ∙ the state of progress of the reactor design and its development schedule; ∙ the current technical and financial capacity of the company developing the project, along with its growth plan (calls for funds and staffing). Following this screening phase, the project developer is asked to continue with its development in order to attain the following three objectives: 1. Minimum maturity of the technical project: the project developer has an initial complete conceptual design of its project. 2. Project developer’s capacity to conduct technical exchanges: the project developer has a sufficient in-house technical team (estimated at about twenty engineers) to be able to carry out technical exchanges with ASN and IRSN on all the technical topics associated with the safety case of its reactor. 3. Minimum financial security of the project developer: the company developing the project has sufficient financial guarantees to back up its development for at least the coming 18 to 24 months. TABLE SMR projects being studied TECHNOLOGY PROJECT POWER OF ONE REACTOR (MWth) SHORT-TERM TARGET Light water reactor NUWARD 540 Industrial prototype CALOGENA 30 Sodium-cooled reactor OTRERA 300 HEXANA 400 High-temperature reactor JIMMY 10 to 20 BLUE CAPSULE 150 Lead-cooled reactor NEWCLEO 80 (then eventually 450) Experimental reactor Molten salt reactor NAAREA 80 STELLARIA 250 THORIZON 250 2 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 323 • 11 • The emergence of small modular reactor projects 11 05 15 08 04 14 06 07 13 AP 03 10 02 09 12 01
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