SMR reactors summarized in 6 features

SMR (small modular reactors) reactors have generally an output power ranging from 10 to 300 MWe and are modular which means that they can be built in a factory and assembled on site. SMR reactors can be used for power production but also for heat production, hydrogen production, sea-water desalination or support to alternative renewable energies. The modular design gives flexibility to power production as the number of SMR can grow following power demand. The most advanced SMR projects are being developed in USA, Canada, China and Russia. Nuscale reactor, an American project, is an integrated SMR reactor with an output power of 77 MWe and cooled through natural convection (it does not require any primary coolant pump). Russia has installed 2 SMR reactors on the 'Akademik Lomonosov' ship to supply power and heat to the Pevek port in Siberia. The Nuward project is being developed in France. According to the IAEA, more than 70 projects of SMR are being developed in the world, among them 14 are high-temperature, gas-cooled reactors, 10 are molten salt reactors, 11 are fast reactors and others are pressurized water reactors or boiled water reactors. (A.C.)