Small Nuclear Fission Reactors

The Nuclear Energy Institute blog has an article that links to recent discussions about small nuclear reactor development and licensing by the Nuclear Regulatory commission and the Office of Nuclear Energy

7 page presentation by the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy at the Small reactor Workshop.

U.S. based vendors are seeking to bring SMR LWR designs to market within the next 5-10 years but will be confronted with technological, licensing and financial challenges.
* To address these challenges NE will collaborate with NRC and industry to:
• Research and develop new technologies (e.g., helical steam generators, ceramic fuels) that support multiple designs.
• Support development of risk-informed safety analyses to support SMR licensing.
• Engage NRC and industry early on unique SMR licensing/policy issues.
• Develop new and/or revise current industry codes and standards for SMRs.
• Establish cost models that validate a range of nuclear energy options.
* A cost-share partnership for first-of-a-kind SMR design and licensing may be initiated in 2011.

A combined set of 101 pages of slides from the NRC Small Reactor workshop

Generation IV
* Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR)
* Very High Temp Reactor (VHTR)
* Supercritical-Water Cooled Reactor (SCWR)
* Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor SFR)
* Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR)
* Molten Salt Reactor (MSR)
• Hyperion Power Module
• Accelerator-Driven System (ADS)
• Fusion & Fission-Fusion Hybrids

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Workshop
Scaling Down Reactors: A Different Model for Nuclear Energy from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.