SMR IX - Process Part 2

This is the follow on to the post yesterday. NuScale which is the furthest along in the NRC review process is not done yet. It is still in working thru the process of a Standard Design Approval Application (SDAA). NuScale has completed Phase A in November with open items pushed to Phase B – expected to complete in February 2025, Phase C is expected to finish in May 2025 and Phase D in July 2025. However, that timeline seems to be at risk, since the NRC site shows a start on Phase D of May 31, 2025 and that Phase D is zero percent complete.

If you remember the post yesterday, each chapter of the SDA gets its own timeline for review, those timelines can vary from 8 months for low effort on the part of the NRC to 16 months for a high effort chapter. There are 12 chapters in all, along with ~15 additional documents. NuScale started working with the NRC in 2015 and submitted its application in December of 2016, about a decade ago.

There are 9 pre-application activities in process. They include the AP-300 from Westinghouse, SMR-300 from Holtec, BWRX-300 from GE-Hitachi, and the Deep Borehole Pressurized Water Reactor from Deep Fission, Inc. that are light water designs.

In non-light water reactors, the following designs are in pre-application:
-      General Atomics – EM2
-      Kairos Power
-      Terra Power (GE-Hitachi) - Natrium Reactor
-      Westinghouse – eVinci
-      Terrestrial Energy – IMSR
-      X-Energy – XE-100
-      TerraPower – MCFR
-      General Atomics – Fast Modular Reactor
-      ARC Clean Technology – ARC-100
-      Oklo, Inc – Oklo Aurora
-      Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation – HTGCTR
-      Radiant Industries – Kaieidos Microreactor (HTGR)
-      Aalo Atomics – Aalo-1 Reactor
-      Natura Resources – LFMSR

Any reactor not on one of these lists, is likely more than 10 years (and15-years may be likely) from certification, just from the NRC.

Kairos Power is the only non-light water reactor in the application process (submitted March 28, 2024).

SMR I - Announcement of Small Modular Reactor Series

SMR II - Major types of reactors

SMR III - Why is 300 megawatts the dividing line for SMR?

SMR IV - Foundation independent designs & Power Conversion

SMR V - Water

SMR VI - Nuclear Fuel

SMR VII - Throttling, Black Start & Inertia

SMR VIII - Process Part 1

NEXT: SMR X - Other Federal Permits