BWRX-300
The BWRX-300 is a design for a small modular nuclear reactor proposed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH). The BWRX-300 would feature passive safety, in that neither external power nor operator action would be required to maintain a safe state, even in extreme circumstances.
Technology
The BWRX-300 is a smaller evolution of an earlier GE Hitachi reactor design,
Decay heat removal
Immediately after a nuclear reactor shuts down, almost 7% of its previous operating power continues to be generated, from the decay of short half-life
New build proposals
In 2019, GEH expected construction to start in 2024/2025 in the US or Canada, entering commercial operation in 2027/2028, and for the first unit to cost less than $1 billion to build.[1]
On December 1, 2021 Ontario Power Generation (OPG) selected the BWRX-300 SMR for use at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station.[2] In October 2022, OPG applied for a construction license for the reactor, with plans to start operations in 2028.[3]
On December 16, 2021 Synthos Green Energy (SGE), GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and BWXT Canada announced their intention to deploy at least 10 BWRX-300 reactors in Poland in the early 2030s.
On March 14, 2022 Kärnfull Future AB signed a Memorandum of Understanding with GEH to deploy the BWRX-300 in Sweden.[8]
On June 27, 2022 Saskatchewan Power Corporation selected the BWRX-300 SMR for potential deployment in Saskatchewan in the mid-2030s[9]
On February 8, 2023 Fermi Energia AS chose the BWRX-300 SMR for potential deployment in Lääne-Viru County of Estonia in the early-2030s[10]
On July 7, 2023 Ontario Power Generation chose three additional BWRX-300 SMR for construction at the Darlington New Nuclear Project in Ontario, Canada, joining the first already planned.[11]
Notes
^ GEH describes the BWRX as the tenth version of their Boiling Water Reactors.,[12] following BWR 1-6, ABWR, SBWR, and ESBWR.[13]
References
- ^ a b "Status Report – BWRX-300" (PDF). GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. IAEA. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "OPG advances clean energy generation project". 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "OPG applies for construction licence for Darlington SMR". World Nuclear News. 2022-11-02. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
- ^ "Firms partner to support BWRX-300 deployment in Poland". www.ans.org. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
- ^ "Two Polish companies apply for regulator's opinion on SMR technology assessment - Nuclear Engineering International". www.neimagazine.com. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
- ^ "Pierwszy reaktor jądrowy BWRX-300 może trafić do Polski w 2029 r." [The first BWRX-300 nuclear reactor could arrive in Poland in 2029.]. Money.pl (in Polish). 8 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
- ^ "Jest zielone światło dla małego atomu". wnp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ "Kärnfull teams up with GEH for SMR deployment : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News". www.world-nuclear-news.org. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
- ^ "SaskPower Selects the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor Technology for Potential Deployment in Saskatchewan". www.saskpower.com. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
- ^ "Fermi Energia Selected US-Japan Joint Venture as Nuclear Reactor Producer". ekspress.delfi.ee. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
- ^ "Three More BWRX-300 SMRS Planned for Canada's Darlington Site". 7 July 2023.
- ^ "BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor | GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy".
- ^ "The Evolution of the ESBWR". November 2010.