Advancing Small Modular Reactors: How We're Supporting Next-Gen Nuclear Energy Technology
The basics of small modular reactor technology explained. | Infographic by Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department. 
Nuclear
energy continues to be an important part of America’s diverse energy
portfolio, and the Energy Department is committed to supporting a
domestic nuclear industry.
While we are supporting the deployment of passively safe
large nuclear reactors, both in the United States and around the world,
we are also looking to the next generation of nuclear energy technologies.
Today, the Department announced a new award that supports first-of-its-kind engineering, design certification and licensing for an innovative small modular reactor (SMR) design. Supporting this innovative technology will help advance low-carbon nuclear energy deployment in the United States.
What is a Small Modular Reactor?
Small modular reactors
are approximately one-third the size of current nuclear power plants or
about 300 megawatts -- enough to power almost 230,000 homes each year.
These reactors feature simplified, compact designs that are expected to
be cost-effective and incredibly safe.
For example, small modular reactors could be manufactured
in factories and transported to sites where they would be ready for
installation upon arrival, reducing both capital costs and construction
times. SMR designs also have built-in passive safety systems that use
the natural circulation of air, water and steam to maintain the right
conditions for operation.
At the commercial scale, SMRs could expand the options for
nuclear power in the U.S. and around the world. The smaller size also
makes these reactors ideal for small electric grids and for locations
that cannot support large reactors, in addition to offering utilities
the flexibility to scale production as demand changes.
The investment made today builds upon the Department’s
broader efforts to promote a sustainable nuclear industry in the U.S.,
including cultivating the next generation of scientists and engineers
and solving common challenges across the industry. Check out more on
these efforhttp://energy.gov/articles/advancing-small-modular-reactors-how-were-supporting-next-gen-nuclear-energy-technology
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