Three developers of small modular reactor (SMR) technology - Babcock & Wilcox, NuScale Nuclear and Westinghouse - have submitted applications to the US Department of Energy (DoE) for funding to support first-of-a-kind engineering, design certification and licensing.

Three major US nuclear utilities have joined an alliance formed by Westinghouse and Ameren to support the licensing and deployment of Westinghouse small modular reactor (SMR) technology.

Ameren Missouri and Westinghouse Electric Company are to collaborate to secure federal funding for the development and licensing of Westinghouse's Small Modular Reactor (SMR).

Nuscale Power has partnered with NuHub - an economic development initiative in South Carolina - to pursue the deployment of a demonstration unit of its small modular reactor (SMR) at the Savannah River site.

 

GE-Hitachi has continued to promote the idea of using a Prism reactor to dispose of the UK's plutonium stocks with another suppliers' day and an agreement with the National Nuclear Laboratory for expert input.

Apart from programs to develop large sodium-cooled fast reactors, Russia is also pushing ahead with a small modular fast reactor cooled by lead-bismuth eutectic, the SVBR-100.

The US Department of Energy (DoE) has announced three public-private partnerships to develop deployment plans for small modular reactor (SMR) technologies at its Savannah River Site in South Carolina.

An Areva prismatic steam-cycle high-temperature gas-cooled reactor concept has been selected by the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Industry Alliance as the optimum design for next generation nuclear power plants. In addition to generating electricity, these modular plants could produce process heat for use by industry.

The development of small modular reactors and domestic uranium enrichment technology has received support in US budget requests for fiscal year 2013. However, industry complained that cuts are being proposed to the funding of university nuclear programs and that a levy to fund the cleanup of legacy enrichment facilities would be re-imposed on nuclear companies.

The US Department of Energy is to help push forward the manufacture of small modular nuclear reactors through new cost-sharing arrangements with private industry to support design and licensing activities.

Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) is to restructure its commercial nuclear business, separating its small modular reactor operations from its other nuclear energy related businesses.

A demonstration nuclear power plant featuring small, modular reactors is to be constructed at Zhangzhou in China's Fujian province. The plant will provide the city with electricity, heat and water desalination.