Under the agreement, BWXT Canada has the potential to manufacture key AP1000 and AP300 reactor components, including steam generators, reactor vessels, pressure vessels, and heat exchangers.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Ontario, BWXT Canada has more than 60 years of expertise and experience in the designing, manufacturing, commissioning, and servicing of nuclear power generation equipment including pressurized water reactor steam generators, nuclear fuel and fuel components, critical plant components, parts and related plant services.

“Canada is home to one of the strongest nuclear supply chains in the Western world, that when combined with the U.S. supply chain, provides a powerful platform to deliver new nuclear generation quickly to North America,” said John Gorman, President of Westinghouse Canada. “By taking advantage of our combined presence in both Canada and the U.S., Westinghouse and BWXT will work together to further strengthen both nations’ capacity to promote and build cost-effective nuclear solutions at home and abroad.”

The AP300, a single-loop pressurized water reactor launched in 2023, is a 300 MW small modular reactor (SMR) with a design based on the AP1000 reactor. Westinghouse said the AP300 SMR is an “ultra-compact, modular-constructed unit.” It will use identical AP1000 technology, to include major equipment, structural components, passive safety, fuel, and I&C systems. The reactor is expected to benefit from a mature supply chain, constructability lessons learned, fast load-follow capabilities and proven O&M procedures and best practices from 18 reactor years of AP1000 operations, a prior press release said. 

The AP300 is designed to operate for an 80+ year life cycle, and uses Gen III+ advanced technology, which has regulatory approval in the U.S., Great Britain and China, as well as compliance with European Utility Requirements standards for nuclear power plants. The company said the design will be marketed to the utility, oil & gas and industrial sectors. Design certification is anticipated by 2027, followed by site specific licensing and construction on the first unit toward the end of the decade. 

This announcement is the latest in a series of agreements with Canadian firms to support Westinghouse’s AP1000 and AP300 projects globally. For each AP1000 unit that is built outside of Canada, Westinghouse could generate almost $1 billion of Canadian dollars in gross domestic product (GDP) through local suppliers.

Late last year, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Westinghouse signed a MOU establishing a framework for the two organizations to identify potential areas of cooperation for the deployment of nuclear technologies. Under the MOU, the companies will seek to explore potential commercial opportunities for Westinghouse’s AP1000, AP300, and eVinci reactor technologies; investigate licensing and regulatory pathways for new nuclear projects in Canada; and examine other potential areas for collaboration in the new-build market.

To effectively decarbonize the broader economy, Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator says demand for clean, reliable baseload electricity will rise sharply in coming years and has called for almost 18,000 MW of new nuclear capacity by 2050.

In September, Westinghouse signed a MOU with Curtiss-Wright’s Nuclear Division to support AP1000 and AP300 projects in Canada. The MoU leverages Curtiss-Wright’s portfolio of nuclear power equipment, technology and services to complement Westinghouse’s resources in new build opportunities.

The ongoing quest for sustainable and low-carbon energy solutions has led to the emergence of a number of innovative technologies. The vision of reducing carbon footprints while maintaining reliability and resilience in energy systems is attracting billions in both private and public sector investment.

Among these technologies, nuclear microreactors present a revolutionary approach, particularly for campus district energy systems. Advanced nuclear offers a pathway to zero carbon emissions that several large institutional energy users are considering, particularly because of the potential to provide many years of always-on power and thermal energy to maintain the reliability that bustling campuses demand.

Emergence of Nuclear Microreactors

Advanced nuclear microreactors are at the forefront of an energy transformation, offering a compact, scalable solution to the urgent problem of decarbonizing campus energy systems.

Microreactors address the challenges that have long held back the growth of nuclear energy produced by large, commercial reactors. Emerging microreactor technology pathways provide a manageable, safe energy resource, capable of delivering electricity and heat on a scalable basis, with virtually zero carbon emissions. Their compact size and modularity mean they can be deployed within campus settings, providing a reliable source of energy while supporting the academic mission and sustainability goals of institutions.

Design Innovations and Safety Features

Advanced microreactors are a testament to the strides made in nuclear technology, focused upon advanced safety and efficiency. New fuel in the form of HALEU (high-assay low-enriched uranium) offers a long-life fuel with cladding capable of withstanding temperatures much higher than the operating requirements of the reactor.

Passive safety features are a hallmark of these designs. Unlike conventional reactors with water-based cooling systems dependent on a complex system of pumps and failure mode responses, microreactors have passive shutdown controls that rely on gas or molten salt to slowly cool the reactor in the event of an issue that would require a shut down. These safety features, coupled with their compact footprint, make microreactors an attractive option for large energy users like universities.

Universities as Pioneers

Universities are uniquely positioned to lead the integration of nuclear microreactors into district energy systems. With campuses resembling small cities, they are ideal proving grounds to demonstrate how sustainable energy systems can address challenges and opportunities of transitioning away from traditional fossil fuels.

Several large research organizations are actively exploring how microreactors can be integrated to achieve ambitious carbon reduction goals. By adopting this technology, universities not only contribute to reducing global carbon emissions, but also engage in cutting-edge research and development, helping to prepare the next generation of nuclear engineers and scientists.

Overcoming Challenges

Despite the promising potential of nuclear microreactors, challenges remain. Early adopters will be helping to further the technology’s adoption, but these first-of-a-kind implementation costs are a significant barrier, posing hurdles for many institutions. Despite these front-loaded costs — mainly in licensing and technology deployment — ongoing operational costs are expected to be low in comparison with other energy technologies.

Public perception of nuclear energy is another critical issue. Dispelling myths and educating communities on the safety and benefits of modern nuclear technology is essential to making progress for widespread public acceptance.

Additionally, the current licensing and permitting process for commercial nuclear power applications is ill-suited for the scale and swift adoption of microreactor technologies. A streamlined regulatory pathway and approval process will be required to enable these advanced systems to enter widespread commercial deployment.

Nuclear microreactors offer a path to transforming fossil fuel-dependent campus district energy systems into sustainable, resilient low-carbon energy networks. As this technology continues to develop, its integration into campus settings could serve as a model for broader adoption, contributing significantly to the global effort to combat climate change. The journey toward a zero-carbon future is complex, but with innovative solutions like nuclear microreactors it is increasingly within reach.

Originally published by Burns & McDonnell.

About the Author: Kevin Fox is an engineering manager for the OnSite Energy and Power Group at Burns & McDonnell. Kevin has more than 25 years of experience in the energy and power sector, specializing in developing resilient and sustainable projects for district energy facilities, microgrids, distributed generation networks and emerging clean energy technologies.

In August 2023, Governor Abbott directed the PUCT to form a working group to study and plan for the use of advanced nuclear reactors in Texas. Over the past year, the working group has developed recommendations and strategies mean to help achieve this goal. Abbott instructed the PUCT to improve understanding the states role in deploying and using reactors; consider potential financial incentives; determine nuclear-specific changed needed in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market; identify regulatory impediments to development; and identify how the state can streamline and accelerate permitting for the building of advanced nuclear reactors in the state.

Now, the report is ready after roughly 50,000 hours of work.

The working group argues that Texas has “all the resources necessary to lead” in advanced nuclear, the workforce to support large construction and manufacturing projects, the funding for investment, and 61 existing sites that the group said were evaluated and ready for potential use.

Additionally, the working group broke down the main benefits it sees advanced nuclear bringing to Texas. First, the working group argues that advanced nuclear will support the state’s growing energy needs by providing clean power for power-hungry customers like industrial facilities, data centers, military bases, and more.

“Texas is the energy capital of the world, and we are ready to be No. 1 in advanced nuclear power,” said Governor Abbott. “By utilizing advanced nuclear energy, Texas will enhance the reliability of the state grid and provide affordable, dispatchable power to Texans across the state.”

Advanced nuclear can be co-located with data centers or heavy industrial sites, the working group added, which could provide process heat, power desalination plants and electrify oil fields. The group cited a Bureau of Business Research (BBR) report that says a moderate small modular reactor (SMR) deployment by 2055 could result in an annual average of 148,000 people employed directly and indirectly in the SMR industry; over $50 billion in new economic output in Texas; and over $27 billion in income for Texas workers.

The working group also maintains that nuclear power is more reliable than coal, wind and solar, which could help improve resilience during extreme weather conditions. The report’s list of benefits concludes with the notion that Texas could “lead the national competition” in advanced nuclear, and with the global nuclear market projected to triple by 2050, “establishing Texas as the preferred supplier for U.S.-based advanced nuclear reactor technology will open international opportunities and offer an alternative to Chinese and Russian nuclear reactor technology for allies and partners.”

Abbott originally issued the directive to the PUCT while highlighting the role of nuclear energy during a discussion with Dow and X-Energy at the University of Texas at Austin. In May 2023, Dow announced its UCC1 Seadrift Operations manufacturing site in Texas as the location of an X-Energy small modular reactor (SMR) project.

Also in recent Texas nuclear news, Texas A&M University System officials have taken the first steps to provide testing sites for next-generation nuclear reactors on land it owns, projecting that it will become the only higher education institution with a commercial reactor site license. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents agreed to notify regulators at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that it has potential sites available at Texas A&M-RELLIS in Bryan for multiple companies to test and construct the next generation of nuclear reactors.

The test bed for the reactors will support multiple reactors from various companies, said John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M System, and the reactors at the site also could put additional power into the state’s energy grid at a time of high demand.

The submission of the letter of intent to the regulators marks the beginning of a licensing process for the A&M System. The Texas A&M System recently concluded the process of gathering proposals from nuclear reactor companies that hope to construct reactors at Texas A&M-RELLIS. Negotiations are expected to begin soon, the Texas A&M System said. After negotiations are complete, the A&M System will announce which companies will conduct testing and other work at Texas A&M-RELLIS.

The identified site is on company-owned Joshua Falls property in Campbell County, Virginia, and Appalachian Power now plans to begin the early site permit application process.

The site provides access to existing electrical infrastructure that is necessary for a generation project, the utility said, including a 765-kilovolt substation and nearby roadways that can support moving the necessary equipment onsite. The relatively small footprint allows SMRs to be constructed in areas that were not previously feasible for nuclear energy generation.

“SMR technology is a key component to providing perfect power to our customers,” said Bill Fehrman, AEP president and chief executive officer. “Appalachian Power and AEP are committed to working with our states to develop energy solutions that align with state policy goals and reliably serve our customers.”

The company plans to file an application with the Virginia State Corporation Commission in spring 2025. In addition, Appalachian Power plans to apply for part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s $900 million grant program to accelerate the deployment of SMRs and help reduce customer costs.

Earlier this year, Virginia’s House and Senate both approved different versions of legislation that were meant to advance the deployment of SMRs in the state. HB 1491 allows Appalachian Power to request to incur project development costs prior to filing an application for a certificate to construct an SMR facility. SB 454 permits Dominion Energy Virginia to petition the State Corporation Commission at any time for the approval of a rate adjustment clause for the recovery of project development costs for up to one SMR facility. The bill, which originally was intended to include Appalachian Power/AEP, also permits the utility to petition the Commission for project development cost recovery along separate development phases.

In 2023, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) signed multiple bills into Virginia law intended to promote the development of SMRs. One law, from identical HB 2386 and SB 1464 bills, created the Virginia Power Innovation Fund. Money from the fund would be used solely for research and development of innovative energy technologies, including nuclear, hydrogen, carbon capture and utilization, and energy storage. The law also created the Virginia Power Innovation Program, using funds to establish a Virginia nuclear innovation hub and award competitive grants to support energy innovation.

Another bill signed by the Governor (HB 1779) established a fund for awarding competitive grants to any Virginia public or private university that seeks to establish or expand a nuclear education program. This is defined in the bill as an instructional program that leads to a degree or credential that specifically supports the nuclear power industry, including nuclear engineering and nuclear welding.

Over the summer, Dominion Energy Virginia issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from nuclear technology companies to evaluate the feasibility of developing an SMR at the company’s North Anna Power Station in Louisa County, Virginia. While Dominion stressed the RFP is not a commitment to build an SMR at North Anna, the company said it is an important first step in evaluating the technology and the North Anna site.

UECI’s management and operational teams will join Aecon upon closing of the transaction, which is subject to customary adjustments and closing conditions, including obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals.

Founded in 1905, United provides end-to-end engineering, planning and program and construction management services to nuclear and conventional power clients in the United States and Canada. UECI maintains a strategic focus on nuclear plant life extensions and developing small modular reactor (SMR) and power generation projects. The majority of UECI’s revenues are conducted under master service agreements and are recurring in nature.

Aecon and United are already joint venture partners in executing steam generator replacement work and fuel channel and feeder replacements on six units at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario.

“United strengthens our relationships with existing clients, provides opportunities to develop new clients, adds engineering capability and capacity, and accelerates our ability to harness the robust nuclear opportunities across North America while driving continued growth in the U.S. and priority markets,” said Jean-Louis Servranckx, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aecon Group Inc. “United’s strong technical expertise in digital instrumentation, control engineering and specialized construction will extend our self-perform offering and advance our continued diversification and growth with a strategic focus on the energy transition.”

In January 2023 GE Hitachi (GEH), Ontario Power Generation (OPG), SNC-Lavalin and Aecon inked a commercial contract for a 300 MW SMR at OPG’s Darlington new nuclear site. The reactor would be Canada’s first SMR. The project is expected to come online by the end of the decade, partners have said.

DOE plans to use this funding to spur the deployment of advanced reactor technologies across the country and encourage follow-on reactor projects. The funding is meant to assist the private sector in establishing a “credible and sustainable” pathway to deploying a fleet of Gen III+ SMRs across the country.

“Revitalizing America’s nuclear sector is key to adding more carbon free energy to the grid and meeting the needs of our growing economy—from AI and data centers to manufacturing and healthcare,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Thanks to the President and Vice President’s Investing in America agenda, the nation’s nuclear industry is poised to lead the world in innovative advanced reactor technologies, which will create high-paying jobs while providing the flexible and reliable clean energy we need to support a thriving clean energy future.” 

Created by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 and utilizing funds from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, DOE anticipates offering funding in two tiers: 

• Tier 1: First Mover Team Support, managed by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), will provide up to $800M for milestone-based awards to support up to two first mover teams of utility, reactor vendor, constructor, and end-users/off-takers committed to deploying a first plant while facilitating a multi-reactor, Gen III+ SMR orderbook and the opportunity to work with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to incorporate safeguards and security by design into the projects. 
• Tier 2: Fast Follower Deployment Support, managed by the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), will provide up to $100M to spur additional Gen III+ SMR deployments by addressing key gaps that have hindered the domestic nuclear industry in areas such as design, licensing, supplier development, and site preparation. 

For Tier 1, teams must include a U.S. utility, reactor technology vendor, and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company with the lead applicant being the utility, end-user/off-taker, a development company, or incorporated consortium. Tier 2 funding is sorted into three different categories, for which applicants must be either planned project owners or utilities, or entities looking to improve the capability, capacity, or cost competitiveness of the domestic supply chain for Gen III+ SMRs. 

DOE estimates the U.S. will need approximately 700-900 GW of additional clean, firm power generation capacity to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Nuclear power is a proven option that could be deployed to meet this growing demand. In 2023, nuclear energy provided nearly half of America’s carbon-free electricity.

Utilities are looking to extend the lifespan of current nuclear reactors, planning to uprate reactor capacity, reversing plans to close reactors, and even restarting formerly closed reactors, DOE said. At the same time, they are earnestly exploring building new reactors to meet the fast-growing demand for carbon-free energy.

Applications are due on January 17, 2025, at 5pm ET. For more information, visit the Gen III+ SMR engagement webpage here.

The company is the latest to strike deals for nuclear energy to power the growing demands from its data centers.

“Nuclear is a safe source of carbon-free energy that can help power our operations and meet the growing demands of our customers, while helping us progress toward our Climate Pledge commitment to be net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040,” said Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS).

In Washington, Amazon’s agreement with Energy Northwest, a consortium of state public utilities, will enable the development of four advanced SMRs. The reactors will be constructed, owned and operated by Energy Northwest, and are expected to generate roughly 320 megawatts (MW) of capacity for the first phase of the project, with the option to increase to 960 MW total.

Amazon is also making an investment in X-energy, a developer of next-generation SMR reactors and fuel, and X-energy’s advanced nuclear reactor design will be used in the Energy Northwest project. The investment includes manufacturing capacity to develop the SMR equipment to support more than five gigawatts of new nuclear energy projects utilizing X-energy’s technology.

In Virginia, Amazon signed an agreement with utility company Dominion Energy to explore the development of an SMR project near Dominion’s existing North Anna nuclear power station. This will bring at least 300 MW of power to the Virginia region, where Dominion projects that power demands will increase by 85% over the next 15 years.

“One of the fastest ways to address climate change is by transitioning our society to carbon-free energy sources, and nuclear energy is both carbon-free and able to scale—which is why it’s an important area of investment for Amazon,” said Garman. “Our agreements will encourage the construction of new nuclear technologies that will generate energy for decades to come.”

Amazon has previously signed an agreement to co-locate a data center facility next to the Talen Energy’s nuclear facility in Pennsylvania, which will directly power its data centers. As Amazon Web Services (AWS) develops the data center, Talen will supply carbon-free power directly from the Susquehanna plant through a power purchase agreement (PPA). Amazon’s cloud platform plans to expand the data center campus to up to 960 MW of power consumption.

Powering artificial intelligence (AI) through rapidly expanding data center operations is an ambitious endeavor. According to a study published by EPRI in May, data centers could consume up to 9% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030 — more than double the amount currently used.

Technology giants like Microsoft, Google and Amazon are driving significant electricity demand through this data center growth. Data centers are essential for supporting cloud services, AI development and other digital operations. The facilities require vast amounts of power to run servers, cooling systems and other infrastructure needed to store and process massive amounts of data.

While these hyperscalers continue to invest in intermittent renewable energy to narrow the power supply-demand gap, they increasingly view around-the-clock nuclear power as a good match for their similarly around-the-clock needs.

This week Kairos Power and Google signed an agreement aimed at deploying a U.S. fleet of advanced nuclear power projects totaling 500 MW by 2035.   

Under the agreement, advanced nuclear startup Kairos Power would develop, construct and operate a series of advanced nuclear plants, selling energy and ancillary services to Google under Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

Google said the plants will be sited in relevant service territories to supply clean power to its data centers. The first deployment is targeted by 2030 to support the tech giant’s 24/7 carbon-free goals. The additional power from this agreement will complement Google’s existing use of renewables, like solar and wind.

Microsoft is helping Pennsylvania’s retired Three Mile Island Unit 1 get a new lease on life. Last month plant owner Constellation Energy announced the signing of a 20-year power purchase agreement with Microsoft that will pave the way for the launch of the Crane Clean Energy Center (CCEC) and restart of the 835 MW nuclear unit.

Under the agreement, Microsoft plans to purchase energy from the re-opened plant as part of its goal to help match the power its data centers in PJM use with carbon-free energy.

Three Mile Island was shut down in 2019. Owner Exelon decided to end operations after a financial rescue package did not come from Pennsylvania legislators.

The IRP is not a request to build any specific project, but rather a long-term planning document based on current technology, market information, and load projections. Nearly 80% of the plan’s incremental power generation over the next 15 years is carbon-free, including:

• ~3,400 megawatts (MW) of new offshore wind in addition to the 2,600-MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project currently under development off the coast of Virginia Beach.
• ~12,000 MW of new solar, a more than 150% increase to the 4,750 MW of solar the company currently has in operation or under development.
• ~4,500 MW of new battery storage.
• Small modular nuclear reactors beginning in the mid-2030s.

About 20% of the plan’s incremental power generation will come from natural gas, which Dominion Energy said is a “critically important source of reliable backup power” to ensure the lights stay on when the company’s wind and solar fleet are not producing electricity.

The IRP is based on a forecast developed by PJM, which projects that power demand will continue growing at unprecedented levels in the coming decades. Power demand within the company’s delivery zone is forecasted to grow 5.5% annually for the next decade and to double by 2039.

“We are experiencing the largest growth in power demand since the years following World War II,” said Ed Baine, President of Dominion Energy Virginia. “No single energy source, grid solution, or energy efficiency program will reliably serve the growing needs of our customers. We need an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach, and we are developing innovative solutions to ensure we deliver for our customers. I am proud of the affordability we deliver, with residential rates 14% below the national average, and as shown in the plan we intend to continue that focus. Our comprehensive plan ensures we can always deliver reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy – day or night, rain or shine, winter or summer.”

Dominion proposes more solar

In a separate filing with the SCC today, Dominion Energy proposed more than 1,000 MW of new solar projects in Virginia. If the proposed projects are approved, the company’s solar fleet in operation or under development – which is currently the second largest among utilities in the U.S. – will surpass 5,750 MW in Virginia. That is enough to power more than 1.4 million homes at peak output.

At the same time, the company is also making investments to expand the transmission grid. In the first half of 2024, Dominion Energy completed 123 new transmission projects, including nearly 90 miles of new and rebuilt transmission lines and 13 new substations. Last month, the company jointly proposed several new large transmission projects with First Energy and American Electric Power to strengthen electric reliability across the 13-state PJM region over the next decade. These projects are meant to also support further integration of the renewables included in the IRP.

In July, Dominion Energy Virginia issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking Power Purchase Agreements from renewable and other carbon-free energy sources located within PJM territory, not including those located in the state of Virginia.

Originally published in Renewable Energy World.

Many advanced reactors will require high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) to achieve smaller designs, longer operating cycles, and increased efficiencies over current technologies. These contracts are meant to allow the selected companies to bid on work for deconversion services, a critical component of the HALEU supply chain.

All contracts will last for up to 10 years and each awardee receives a minimum contract of $2 million, with up to $800 million available, subject to the availability of appropriations. 

Selected companies include: 

• BWXT
• Centrus
• Framatome
• GE Vernova
• Orano
• Westinghouse

HALEU is uranium enriched between 5% and 20%, which increases the amount of fissile material to make the fuel more efficient. After enrichment, which is performed while in gaseous uranium hexafluoride form, the material needs to be deconverted to oxide or metal forms that are fabricated into fuel for advanced reactors. 

The U.S. currently lacks commercial HALEU enrichment and deconversion services to support the deployment of advanced reactors, DOE said. DOE also plans to award contracts for enrichment services to support the “full breadth” of the HALEU supply chain. 

The HALEU that DOE acquires through these contracts will be used to support reactors like those under development through DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program — TerraPower’s Natrium reactor and X-energy’s Xe-100. 

Earlier this year, DOE released its Fiscal Year 2025 budget request, which included nearly $1.6 billion for the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). The request included $694.2 million in research and development activities meant to help advance reactor and fuel technologies, address gaps in the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain and utilize the latest artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to optimize performance.

NE requested $188 million to secure a near-term supply of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for DOE-supported research and demonstration projects. These efforts include the recovery and downblending of government-owned legacy uranium and ramping up enrichment operations in Piketon, Ohio to help make limited quantities available.  

The funding was meant to complement the DOE’s longer-term strategy to expand its domestic enrichment capacity through purchase agreements with industry partners to help spur demand for additional HALEU production. The recently passed FY24 spending bill directed $2.72 billion to further build out a low-enriched uranium and advanced nuclear fuel supply chain.

More information on the HALEU Availability Program is available here.

The report offers an overview of potential alternative use cases for advanced nuclear energy, highlighting considerations and questions for state utility regulators and state energy offices.

Advanced nuclear energy is gaining momentum as a key component of state energy strategies, NARUC said, with “significant” project growth anticipated over the next decade. Public utility commissions and state energy offices play a critical role in facilitating the development and integration of these initiatives.

“Advanced nuclear technology is poised to be a transformative force in our energy landscape,” said Commissioner Nick Myers of the Arizona Corporation Commission and vice chair of the NARUC Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues-Waste Disposal. “This new report is a timely resource as we explore how these reactors can be utilized not only for generating electricity but also for various industrial applications. By providing a detailed analysis of potential use cases, the report equips state officials with the knowledge needed to support and guide the integration of advanced nuclear energy into our broader energy strategies.”

Although advanced nuclear is a newer form of energy production under consideration, various states have already begun preparing for advanced reactors by developing reports and forming working groups to address state-level considerations for advanced reactor technology. The preliminary plans under development by states emphasize the need to understand advanced nuclear applications, both in the power sector and more broadly, and concurrently examine state-specific opportunities.

“This report outlines the key attributes that could make advanced reactors attractive for use cases in addition to conventional electricity generation. These attributes include their safety profile, ability to produce high temperatures, flexible output, modular construction, unit size and capabilities for ramping and black start,” said NARUC Center for Partnerships & Innovation Senior Director Danielle Sass Byrnett. “NARUC identified ten use cases that could be appropriate based on the key attributes, which will provide value for states as they explore innovative ways to incorporate advanced nuclear into their energy portfolios.”

The report was produced under the NARUC-NASEO Advanced Nuclear State Collaborative, an initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-NARUC Nuclear Energy Partnership.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) refers to non-light water reactor designs as “advanced reactors.” These reactors will use different technologies from existing operating reactors such as passive safety features, using different fuel or coolant, or scaling the entire reactor smaller.

There are more than three dozen working designs for small modular reactors and microreactors, some of which have goals to be commercially operable by 2030. Proponents say these smaller advanced reactors offer cheaper and faster build times. However, this promise has yet to be fully tested.

The U.S. remains the world’s leader in nuclear energy output, but could be up to 15 years behind China in rolling out next-generation reactors, according to a report from the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a nonpartisan research institute.

In May, the White House announced significant new steps to support new nuclear power plants in the U.S., including the creation of a “Power Project Management and Delivery working group” made up of experts that would help identify opportunities to proactively mitigate sources of cost and schedule overrun risk.

In June, the U.S. Senate passed legislation aimed at accelerating advanced nuclear deployments, after a similar action by the House in May. The ‘‘Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024,” or ADVANCE Act, aims to speed up permitting and create new incentives for the buildout of advanced reactors. The ADVANCE Act directs the NRC to find ways to speed up its licensing process for new nuclear technology. The legislation would also reduce regulatory costs for companies seeking to license these new reactor technologies, as well as direct the NRC to enhance its ability to qualify and license accident-tolerant fuels and advanced nuclear fuels. President Joe Biden signed the legislation into law.

The full report is available here.