SMRs, also known as small modular reactors, are nuclear reactors that are a fraction of the typical size. They are significantly cheaper and faster to build than traditional nuclear reactors. 

While traditional reactors can cost 6 to 9 billion dollars, SMRs range from 2.5 to 3.2 billion dollars, with small ones ranging from 300 to 500 million, with potential as low as 150 million. Additionally, SMRs can take 5.5 years to construct, contrasting the 7.5 years often required by normal fission reactors.

However, this  lowered cost does come with a few faults, notably energy generation. Traditional nuclear fission reactors produce 600 to 1,000 megawatts, but these SMRs generate less than 300 megawatts. This means that a larger amount of reactors are needed in order to supply energy to large populations. However, this smaller amount of energy is still enough to sustain 10,000 people for a decade. Other drawbacks to this design are similar to typical plants, including a significant quantity of radioactive waste and the threat of terrorism, as nuclear reactors make it easier to create nuclear weapons due to the abundance of plutonium that is created as a byproduct.

The size of SMRs is great for a multitude of reasons. Due to their smaller size, parts can be manufactured in factories, streamlining the process to be more efficient and therefore more affordable. Many of these cores are barely larger than an average office desk. Their smaller size also allows for easier transportation, which allows them to be assembled wherever necessary. Since they are smaller, they also harbor less waste. Less radioactive material means that they are less dangerous, as under the circumstance of a disaster, that waste would be significantly less widespread than that of a traditional reactor. 

Several countries have taken interest in this novel concept. In the UK, Rolls-Royce is leading the charge for small modular reactors, and Oregon has been approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for its own SMR. Canada is also investing with its SMR action plan of 2020, where it plans to introduce these smaller options for nuclear energy in several provinces.

This idea is not just a recent trend; small modular reactors have been used for decades, proving their effectiveness. Submarines and aircraft carriers have been using SMRs for more than half a century. If this option for a more cost-effective way to build a nuclear reactor is proved feasible on a wide scale and utilized worldwide, it could be revolutionary for the future of energy and climate change.

A very interesting topic today! I’m surprised I haven’t heard much about these, but I’m glad that I could find a lot of information about them.

I was originally planning on writing this post about the repurposing of coal plants for nuclear reactors, but in the process I stumbled across this option of “mini” reactors, which could be incredible for increasing the reach of nuclear energy. I will likely revisit the previous topic next week, but I was just too interested in this concept not to write about it. So if you’d like to learn about it, stay tuned to learn with me!

“SMALL NUKE REACTORS EMERGE AS ENERGY OPTION, BUT RISKS LOOM.” Techlife News, 17 Sept. 2022, p. 136. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A736637068/OVIC?u=ante588&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=7fd16d65. Accessed 19 Feb. 2023.

Novog, David. “Bring back nuclear power: Small modular reactors, also known as SMRs, are a third of the size of traditional ones and open a new road to net zero.” Maclean’s, vol. 123, no. 1, Feb. 2023, p. 18. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A732431640/OVIC?u=ante588&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=57b4c890. Accessed 20 Feb. 2023.