NuScale Power small modular reactor (SMR) will be able generate 20 percent more power than originally planned. Advanced testing and modeling tools helped NuScale identify optimization and increased power generation.
Increasing the power generating capacity of a 12-module NuScale SMR plant by 20 percent lowers the cost of the facility from an expected $5,000 per kilowatt to approximately $4,200 per kilowatt. NuScale’s levelized cost of electricity is improved by 18 percent.
The new gross-output of a NuScale power plant will be 720 MWe instead of 600 MWe.
The regulatory process of increasing the level of maximum reactor power at which a nuclear plant can operate is referred to as a power uprate. The 20 percent power increase will be reviewed separately and not impact the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) current design review of NuScale’s SMR or the scheduled September 2020 approval date of its Design Certification Application (DCA). Since NuScale has made this determination before any plant construction or equipment manufacture, UAMPS will reap the benefit of this optimization without licensing or construction delays.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.