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NuScale places first order for SMR long-lead materials

Monday, 13 March 2023

Small modular reactor developer NuScale Power has placed its first upper reactor pressure vessel long-lead material production order with Doosan Enerbility. The order is for materials essential to commence manufacturing of the first NuScale Power Modules that are scheduled to be in commercial operation at the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems' Carbon Free Power Project.

NuScale places first order for SMR long-lead materials — How a NuScale plant could look (Image: NuScale)

The order was placed with the Korean manufacturing and engineering company at the end of 2022, NuScale said. The two companies are also "aligned to manufacture additional modules" for future NuScale VOYGR SMR power plant projects with similar delivery dates to the UAMPS project, it added.

Doosan Enerbility - under its former name of Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction - in 2019 signed a business collaboration agreement with NuScale for the supply of NuScale Power Modules and other equipment. Together with Korean financial investors, the company has made an equity investment of nearly USD104 million in NuScale Power.

"Finalising and submitting this order to our valued partner, Doosan, showcases NuScale’s transition to the manufacturing phase of our modules and highlights our advanced position in the market to deploy our SMR technology to customers by the end of the decade," said NuScale President and CEO John Hopkins.

In preparation for the long-lead materials order, the two companies initiated an effort in April 2022 to complete the manufacturing for the forging dies for the upper RPV. The new order builds on this, and includes heavy forgings, steam generator tubes, and weld material for six upper RPVs. The total estimated weight of the materials for six upper RPVs is more than 2000 tons, NuScale said.

The CFPP is to be built at the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory site near Idaho Falls and will use six of NuScale's 77 MWe power modules to generate 462 MWe of electricity. The plant has been pencilled in to begin operations as soon as 2029, and UAMPS, a political subdivision of the state of Utah, is working to submit an application for a construction and operation licence to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in January 2024.