In a context of growing global and EU demand for low carbon energy solutions, Light-Water Small Modular Reactors
(LW-SMRs) represent an energy solution for the future as complement to renewable sources of energy. This four-year Horizon Europe Euratom project embarks on a mission to address the pressing R&I challenges related to LW-SMRs in Europe, in order to ensure their safety, efficiency, and sustainability. The consortium was carefully chosen so that the research entities can provide the necessary research teams and support facilities across Europe and beyond.
The project will tackle the key areas that have been identified within the EU SMR pre-partnership (dialogue between ENSREG and SNETP) and especially those related to the LW-SMR safety specificities:
• Passive safety systems, to demonstrate their efficiency and reliability in various conditions;
• Human and Organisational Factors (HOF), to assess the robustness and safety of human/machine interface of multi-units control room;
• Additive manufacturing, to ensure the fitness for purpose and reliability of components;
• Neutron physics, to demonstrate the safe behavior of the envisaged core designs;
• Harmonisation of licensing approaches, to facilitate the dialogue between regulators in order to ease the deployment of SMRs in series;
• Waste minimization, to enhance the sustainability of SMRs and support the IAEA Sustainable Development Goals;
• Safety, Security and Safeguards.
The work aims to provide insights into European LW-SMR projects, in particular:
• NUWARD SMR, a French design of a reactor generating 170 MW of electricity production,
• LDR-50, a Finnish design of a district heating reactor of 50 MW.
EASI-SMR is closely linked with NUGENIA TA6 and the European SMR pre-Partnership’s WS5.
IFE`s main role in the project is to utilize our human performance expertise in conducting controlled, realistic simulator studies - and we will use IFE's One-of-a-kind SMR simulator as a test bed.