France wants to take the lead in rolling out safer, cleaner nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels – but the growing number of start-ups promising to decarbonise the industry with small reactors is raising questions about safety and environmental responsibility.
Small modular reactors (SMRs) have been touted as the silver bullet that will finally kill the world's reliance on oil and gas and bring about carbon-neutral energy production in future decades.
President Emmanuel Macron made a rallying call two years ago for a renaissance of the French nuclear industry as he advocated for the construction of up to 14 new reactors.
The arrival of nuclear engineering start-ups has raised questions over the safety of the fast-evolving technology being used.
France will construct six new #nuclear power reactors, consider building a further eight and push ahead with the development of small modular reactors, President Emmanuel Macron has said https://t.co/cKEpOi8xIs pic.twitter.com/zpimPfkgQb
— World Nuclear News (@W_Nuclear_News) February 12, 2022
Smaller, faster, cleaner
Smaller but less powerful than their industrial-scale siblings, SMRs are able to produce electricity – but also supply heat – to heavy industries such as glass, chemicals and steel, which depend on fossil fuels.
Compared with 4,300 megawatts thermal (MWth) expected to be produced once the flagship Flammanville 3 EPR goes online in Normandy later this year, individual SMRs will output anything from between 10 and 540 MWth.
The nuclear start-ups – with names like Jimmy, Calogena or Naarea – build small modular reactors, which are a miniature version of pressurised water reactors, as well as fourth generation "advanced modular reactors", or AMRs.
In all, more than 80 projects have been identified around the world at various stages of development, but only Russia is operating two SMRs – both on board a barge.
Of the 10 projects monitored in France by the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), most are AMRs, touted by their promoters as being able to solve the problem of radioactive waste through the better recycling of spent fuel.
Regulation headache
Start-up Jimmy Energy is set to be the first to submit a request for authorisation to create, by the end of March, its helium-cooled high-temperature reactor. The application process will take at least three years.
Other projects such as the Calogena reactor and an SMR developed by Nuward – a subsidiary of French state utility EDF – are aiming for 2030 as the date for "concrete" nuclear production from their reactors.
However, their development largely depends on their ability to gain access to specific fuels, opening the way for the creation of new fuel distribution sectors.
For decades, the ASN has dealt with four incumbent operators – EDF, Orano, Framatome and Andra.
Already swamped by dossiers linked to extending the lifespan of existing nuclear reactors and plans for new EPRs, it now has to deal with the wave of mini-reactors being developed.
Security challenges
The ASN must also assess a start-up's capacity to become a "nuclear operator", including their management system, their financial capacity and their safety culture.
The fact that these reactors are smaller does not mean that there will be fewer safety expectations.
The ASN reckons the start-ups will be "much more demanding" with regards to what it refers to as "new local nuclear power".
These new reactors are intended to be mass-produced and deployed in large numbers, in order to be economically profitable.
They also could be installed in densely populated areas.
To address these issues – in particular public acceptability – the ASN has set up a commission of five safety experts and five stakeholder representatives from civil society, the energy industry and the insurance sector.
"As these reactors will be installed close to homes in urban or industrial areas, we will need to demonstrate that the consequences – even in the event of a serious accident – are negligible," said Philippe Dupuy, head of the ASN's innovative reactor section.
In the case of conventional reactors, the consequences must be "limited".
