The future of nuclear fission power
Nuclear fission energy is still alive. Along with the construction of more than 50 new nuclear reactors, more than 40 research and development projects for small modular reactors (SMR, Small Modular Reactor) are currently being carried out in countries such as the US, Argentina, China, Canada, South Korea, France and the United Kingdom.
The newspaper “El Mundo” has just published an interview in Spanish with the director of Nuclear Services at IDOM, Xabier Ruiz. In the article, Xabier points out the advantages of new technology compared to the traditional nuclear industry technology:
- Construction schedule. A conventional plant requires between 6 and 20 years before start-up. A small reactor simplifies the authorization process. Obtaining the license takes between 3 and 6 years.
- Adaptation to the environment. Small modular reactors can be prefabricated and then transported to locations where it is not possible for the network to reach.
- Downtime. Refueling forces conventional power plants to stop temporarily every one or two years. The SMRs would have to stop every three to seven years.
November 19, 2021
'The small nuclear reactor'