THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of
Public Affairs
News Media
Contact: (202) 586-4940
For Immediate
Release: Friday, March 2, 2012
Energy Department Announces
Small Modular Reactor Technology Partnerships at Savannah
River Site
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S.
Energy Department and its Savannah River Site (SRS) announced
today three public-private partnerships to develop deployment
plans for small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) technologies at
SRS facilities, near Aiken, South Carolina. As part of the
Energy Department’s commitment to advancing the next
generation of nuclear reactor technologies and breaking down
the technical and economic barriers to deployment, these
Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) will help leverage Savannah
River’s land assets, energy facilities and nuclear expertise
to support potential private sector development, testing and
licensing of prototype SMR technologies.
The Energy Department,
Savannah River Site and Savannah River National Laboratory
(SRNL) have entered into three separate agreements with
Hyperion Power Generation Inc.; SMR, LLC, a subsidiary of Holtec International; and NuScale Power, LLC. The agreements
will help these private companies obtain information on
potential SMR reactor siting at
Savannah River and provide a framework for developing land use
and site services agreements to further these efforts.
“The Obama Administration
continues to believe that low-carbon nuclear energy has an
important role to play in America’s energy future,” said
Secretary Chu. “We are committed to restarting the nation’s
nuclear industry and advancing the next generation of these
technologies, helping to create new jobs and export
opportunities for American workers and businesses.”
The Energy Department has
taken a number of steps to help jumpstart America’s nuclear
industry and ensure that nuclear power continues to play an
important role in the U.S. energy mix. As part of these
efforts, the Department has worked to advance small modular
reactors, which provide an important opportunity for America’s
manufacturing sector to make and sell cutting-edge technology.
Small modular reactors have the added advantage of passive
safety systems, compact and scalable design and lower capital
costs.
By strengthening information
sharing and access to site facilities and technical expertise,
these MOAs will help break down engineering and testing
barriers to advanced nuclear reactor research and development
while providing these nuclear companies with the resources to
support effective deployment plans.
Today’s
announcement builds on the Energy Department’s work to develop
nuclear power as a vital part of America’s all-of-the-above
energy strategy:
· The Energy Department
announced $10 million in new research funds earlier this month
to solve common challenges across the nuclear industry and
improve reactor safety, performance and cost competitiveness.
· In 2010, the Department
signed a conditional commitment for $8 billion in loan
guarantees to support the Vogtle
project, where the Southern Company and Georgia Power are
building two new nuclear reactors, helping to create new jobs
and export opportunities for American workers and businesses.
· The Energy Department has
also supported the Vogtle project
and the development of the next generation of nuclear reactors
by providing more than $200 million through a cost-share
agreement to support the licensing reviews for Westinghouse’s
AP1000 reactor design certification. The Vogtle license is the first for new
nuclear power plant construction in more than three decades.
· Promoting a sustainable
nuclear industry in the U.S. also requires cultivating the
next generation of scientists and engineers. Over the past
three years, the Department has invested $170 million in
research grants at more than 70 universities, supporting
R&D into a full spectrum of technologies, from advanced
reactor concepts to enhanced safety design.
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