Small modular reactors
the waste. However, a spokesperson for Rolls Royce claims that their SMR design ‘ includes some technical innovations that reduce waste arisings ’ . 8 The UK government declared, on 3 rd April 2023, that the Rolls-Royce SMR design is environmentally acceptable for England and Wales. Rolls-Royce will work with the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) about the safety of the plants, and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) about environmental production and waste disposal. The SMR program is currently in step 2 of the GDA process, and in this the government will have regular meetings with Rolls-Royce about optimizing the SMR design and reducing the amount of nuclear waste produced. Rolls-Royce estimate that in the 60-year lifetime of an SMR, it will generate roughly 285m 3 of spent nuclear fuel, which is similar to the size of a tennis court. This is about 4.75 m 3 of waste per year, whereas a 1000MW reactor generates roughly 3m 3 of waste per year, which equates to about 3.4 times more waste produced per unit power in a Rolls-Royce SMR, compared to a conventional nuclear reactor. Though not ideal, compared to former SMR designs, such as NuScale Power’s, this is highly efficient. SMRs are also capable of being a clean energy source for the creation of other clean energy sources, such as hydrogen and synthetic fuel, which are vital to the efforts towards making aviation, and general transport, more sustainable. In his interview with the Westminster energy forum, Paul Stein touched on the fact that SMRs are capable of being an energy source for hydrogen fuel and synthetic kerosene. He claims that 1 SMR will be able to generate 170 tonnes of H 2 fuel or 280 tonnes of net zero synthetic fuel a day. Global aviation will require 500 million tonnes of Jet A – the current kerosene-based jet fuel – by 2050, and Rolls-Royce hopes to be able to produce synthetic kerosene at roughly twice the current price of Jet A; Stein states ‘ that isn't really that bad and gets us into the territory of being a believable option ’ . 9 The UK has set itself a very difficult goal of net zero by 2050, and innovation, from companies such as Rolls-Royce, is key to success. Though not perfect, SMRs represent a big step in the right direction if the UK is to meet its goal, being more efficient and cheaper than other sources of clean energy. Being not only a means for the UK to meet its goal, they provide invaluable jobs and a solid export product that will generate money for the UK economy and allow the nuclear energy sector to expand.
8 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2322252-mini-nuclear-power-stations-may-produce-more-waste-than- large-ones/.
9 https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Rolls-Royce-on-track-for-2030-delivery-of-UK- SMR#:~:text=the%20grid%20market.%22-,Cost,60%2FMWh%20over%2060%20years.
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