Both demonstration and test reactors are necessary to support the development and commercial deployment of the new reactor technologies that will expand access to reliable, clean energy, writes Kathryn Huff, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the US Department of Energy. This article was first published by the Office of Nuclear Energy on 30 July.

The UK government today published a Call for Evidence that sets out its suggested approach to building the first advanced modular reactor demonstrator. This will specifically explore high temperature gas reactors as the most promising model for the demonstration programme, which ministers are investing GBP170 million (USD237 million) into delivering by the early 2030s.

A common misconception about advanced nuclear technologies is that they are largely conceptual and will not be commercialised in time to contribute to meeting near-term climate goals, but a comprehensive look at global efforts to develop advanced nuclear reveals rapid progress towards commercialisation and operation, write Clean Air Task Force, ClearPath, Nuclear Innovation Alliance, Pillsbury and Third Way.

Rosenergoatom, the nuclear power plant operator subsidiary of Russia's Rosatom, has announced the successful completion of its annual emergency preparedness exercise. Separately, it has announced that Russia produced 7% more electricity from nuclear power in the first-half of this year than in the same period of 2020.

Oklo Inc has announced a USD2 million cost-share award from the US Department of Energy supported by the Technology Commercialisation Fund. Oklo is matching USD1 million in funds in a public-private partnership with the DOE and Argonne National Laboratory. The TCF project will enable the commercialisation of advanced fuel recycling capabilities by utilising electrorefining technology.

Russia's Rosatom plans to start construction of new units for the Kola II nuclear power plant project in 2028, with commissioning of the first unit set for 2034. The dates were announced by the Kola plant's director, Vasily Omelchuk, at an online press conference on 18 June.

TerraPower hopes to apply for a construction permit in August 2023 and an operating licence in March 2026 for its Natrium fast reactor, according to a regulatory engagement plan (REP) it has sent to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

For small modular reactors to play their part in the clean energy transition, it is crucial that vendors and regulators engage early to clarify the degree of design maturity required to start the licensing process, according to a new report published today by World Nuclear Association. National regulators should collaborate through bilateral and multinational agreements on design and safety reviews, share technical reviews, establish common positions on safety criteria, and make appropriate use of existing reference SMR design reviews to streamline SMR licensing processes, it says.

Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL has announced the start of construction of a 300 MW nuclear power unit enabled with the innovative BREST-OD-300 lead-cooled fast reactor at the site of the Siberian Chemical Combine, in Seversk. The reactor will run on mixed uranium-plutonium nitride fuel, specially developed for this facility as the "optimal solution" for fast reactors.

Plans to construct a Natrium reactor demonstration project at a retiring coal plant in the US state of Wyoming were announced yesterday by TerraPower, PacifiCorp and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon. The companies are evaluating several potential locations in the state for the plant, which will feature a 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor combined with a molten salt energy storage system that can boost the system's output to 500 MWe for more than five-and-a-half hours when needed. They expect to announce the selected site by the end of 2021.

As multiple advanced reactor vendors enter the licensing process to build first-of-a-kind demonstration projects, issues with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's current user fee cost recovery model could slow innovation and raise regulatory costs, according to a report published yesterday by the Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA). Reliance on applicant fees limits the ability of the NRC to hire and train staff ahead of expected applications, reducing regulatory efficiency, the report says.

The UK SMR consortium, led by Rolls-Royce, has announced the latest design and an increase in power - from 440 MW to 470 MW - of its "compact" nuclear power station. The "refreshed design" features a faceted aesthetic roof; an earth embankment surrounding the power station to integrate with the surrounding landscape; and a more compact building footprint, the British engineering company said.