Small modular reactors - needs and design criteria for use at isolated locales

Remote communities pose special challenges in providing electric power because it is likely that there will be a shortage of trained personnel, higher expense, difficulty in shipping and storing fuel, and power requirements that are relatively small and variable. A power generating system serving such areas must be very reliable, as remoteness implies restricted accessibility for repair crews.

Argonne undertook the technical evaluation of both existing Small Modular Reactor (SMR) designs and proposed SMR concepts from domestic and foreign sources. Based on the current power usage of typical remote communities in the United States, a maximum electricity generating capacity of 50 megawatts-electric (MWe) was set for the selected the SMR designs and concepts. Plant characteristics were evaluated on the basis of their ability to satisfy the relevant criteria for new generation plants in isolated locations: inherent safety, cost-effectiveness, resistance to sabotage and diversion of nuclear materials, infrequent refueling, the level of factory fabrication, and transportability to remote sites.

There is also a large need for smaller power units internationally. Many of the conditions faced in Alaska and Hawaii exist around the world. Examples can be found in the Siberian region of Russia, which is similar to Alaska, while the small islands in Japan and other island nations have conditions that are similar to Hawaii. For many nations, additional challenges include the lack of any reliable electricity grid, requiring power to be generated more locally, even for larger population centers. Since electricity demand per capita is presently very low in many of these nations, only smaller power plants would be useful. Based on design work being performed in other countries on small nuclear power plants, the power output range of interest appears to be 20 MWe to 50 MWe.

[Source: Argonne National Laboratory, "Small Modular Reactors", August 30, 2001]