Nuward SMR to be Modified for Commercialization

France’s EDF plans to optimize the design of its Nuward small modular reactor (SMR) design for commercialization. In order to guarantee that deadlines and budgets are met and to follow feedback from potential European customers, the decision was made to focus on existing and proven technologies.

It is expected that it will be possible to implement a new optimized reactor on sites of old coal and gas power plants and that it will be further used for heat generation, hydrogen production or desalination.

According to Nuward’s previously announced roadmap, the detailed design and formal application for a new nuclear technology is scheduled to begin in 2026, followed by the construction of the first unit in 2030.  

In June 2022, EDF announced that the Nuward design would be the case study for a European early joint regulatory review led by French Nuclear Safety Authority with the participation of Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority and the Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety.

The main objectives of the multilateral review were to identify key issues towards the hypothetical licensing of a Nuward SMR in the three countries and to identify divergencies between the regulatory frameworks of these countries.