September-October 2018 NPJ

Most Resilient Design By Jose Reyes, NuScale Power. Jose Reyes Dr. Reyes is the co-founder of NuScale Power and co-designer of the NuScale passively-cooled small nuclear reactor. He is an internationally recognized expert on passive safety system design, testing and operations for nuclear power plants. He has served as a United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) technical expert on passive safety systems. He is a co-inventor on over 110 patents granted or pending in 20 countries. He has received several national awards including the 2013 Nuclear Energy Advocate Award, the 2014 American Nuclear Society Thermal Hydraulic Division Technical Achievement Award and the 2017 Nuclear Infrastructure Council Trailblazer Award. He is a fellow of the American Nuclear Society and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He currently serves as a Professor Emeritus in the School of Nuclear Science and Engineering at Oregon State University. He holds Ph.D. and Master of Science degrees in nuclear engineering from the University of Maryland, and a Bachelor of Science degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Florida. Responses to questions by Newal Agnihotri, Editor of Nuclear Plant Journal. 1. Has NuScale Power added any new customers, in addition to Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems? Besides UAMPS, the Utah Associ- ated Municipal Power Systems, our first client set for operation in Idaho in 2026, NuScale is seeing significant and in- creasing interest from around the world – countries on five continents have al- ready expressed interest in NuScale’s technology. NuScale is America’s front- runner to compete in the global SMR market, estimated to be as large as $550B. Once the DCA is ap- proved by September 2020, we anticipate the interest will only continue to grow. At that time, NuScale SMRs will be avail- able to domestic cus- tomers to be licensed for construction and operation, something for which NuScale is already actively plan- ning. Even with just a small share (10%- 20%) of the global small modular reac- tor (SMR) market, NuScale would need to be manufacturing roughly 3-6 modules every month to keep up with the demand. That’s about a $3B-$6B annually for a manufacturing business. 2. What are the major suppliers who will be supplying the balance of plants system, reactor pressure vessel, steam generator, the fuel and the different modules for the plant? To support the delivery of our first plant for UAMPS, NuScale is actively developing its supply chain. Soon to be announced will be the company that will develop the manufacturing design of NuScale SMRs, starting the process to bring NuScale’s pioneering design to life. Framatome, formerly known as Areva, will supply the fuel for NuScale’s first SMR plant. 3. What is the extent of utilization of modular construction in the NuScale’s plant? The entirety of the nuclear steam supply system and containment are modular and fully factory-fabricated in a component we call the NuScale Power Module™. These modular systems are fabricated in parallel to the construction of the reactor building and delivered to the facility site several months in advance of initial fueling and assembled and installed using normal plant equipment. Other major engineered equipment, such as the steam-turbine generators and chemical control system will also be fully factory-fabricated and shipped to the plant site on skids or similar arrangements for installation. NuScale has also integrated into the facility design modular civil and mechanical construction elements, where appropriate, to maximize construction efficiency and reduce cost and schedule. 4. What is the status of NuScale’s Plant review with US NRC and other state and federal regulatory authorities? NuScale’s is the first and only SMR technology in the world to ever undergo U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) design certification review. In June 2018, the NRC completed the first and most intensive phase of review of NuScale’s design certification application. NuScale’s design is on schedule to be approved by September 2020. 5. What are the targeted dates for: a. Site preparation for Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems? UAMPS plans to commence site preparation in 2020 for the country’s first SMR, with the first NuScale SMR operational in 2026 and the full 12-module plant operational by 2027. This timeline is for the first NuScale SMR plant – the construction and commissioning of future plants will take less time. 26 NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, September-October 2018 Full Plant Operational by 2027