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advanced nuclear reactor systems
Also known as: advanced nuclear power, advanced nuclear reactors, advanced nuclear reactor, advanced nuclear, advanced nuclear systems, new and advanced nuclear reactors, advanced nuclear power reactor technologies, advanced nuclear reactor systems, advanced nuclear energy
Facts (42)
Sources
The Power of Change: Innovation for Development and Deployment ... nationalacademies.org 11 facts
claimAdvanced nuclear reactor designs rely more on passive safety mechanisms than conventional light water reactors, with some concepts approaching 'walkaway' safety where no external intervention is required for safe shutdown.
claimThe United States regulatory environment is generally regarded as providing a strong framework for licensing established light water reactor power plant designs, but it is less well suited for licensing more advanced nuclear reactor concepts.
claimMany advanced nuclear reactor designs are small, modular systems intended to be constructed primarily in factories rather than in the field.
perspectiveThe National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) prepare for a rulemaking on the licensing of advanced nuclear reactors that establishes a risk-informed regulatory pathway for non-light water reactor technologies and a staged licensing process with clear milestones from conceptual design to commercial deployment.
claimGroups within the U.S. industry, national laboratories, and universities have launched efforts to develop advanced nuclear power reactor and fuel-cycle technologies to reduce economic costs, enhance safety, facilitate waste management, and lessen proliferation risks.
claimAdvanced nuclear reactor designs are hampered by a lack of suitable national facilities capable of conducting tests at the high temperatures and high neutron flux densities required for many new designs.
claimThe U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) may lack the necessary experience and resources to establish a timely, predictable, and well-defined licensing process for advanced nuclear reactors in the United States.
claimSome advanced nuclear reactor designs are optimized to minimize waste production or to burn nuclear waste generated by other reactors.
measurementAdvanced nuclear reactor designs vary in output capacity, with some reaching the 1,000 megawatt (MW) range, similar to large conventional light water reactors, while others are compact designs ranging below 50 MW.
perspectiveThere is currently no clear pathway to determining the commercial viability of advanced nuclear reactor systems, with varying views on their economic feasibility and the time required for commercialization.
claimAdvanced nuclear reactor designs capable of rapid and efficient load following are well-suited for electrical grids that integrate large amounts of intermittent solar and wind power generation.
Impact of carbon dioxide removal technologies on deep ... - Nature nature.com Jun 17, 2021 9 facts
claimThe inclusion of carbon removal technologies in power systems reduces the dependence on other technologies such as advanced nuclear power and long-duration energy storage.
measurementIn a 100% CO2 reduction cap scenario, carbon dioxide removal (CDR) lowers advanced nuclear capacity from 117 GW to 47 GW when using Direct Air Capture (DAC) plus Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), or to 73 GW when using DAC only.
claimCDR availability decreases the generation and capacity of advanced nuclear, renewables, and long-duration energy storage technologies, as these are replaced by gas turbine capacity in the model.
claimIn scenarios without carbon dioxide removal (CDR), the capacity of advanced nuclear, renewables, and long-duration energy storage increases for CO2 reduction targets greater than 80%.
claimThe availability of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies decreases the generation and capacity from advanced nuclear, renewables, and long-duration energy storage, as these technologies are used to replace gas turbine capacity, especially under more stringent policy scenarios.
claimWithout CDR, the capacity of advanced nuclear, renewables, and long-duration energy storage increases for CO2 reductions greater than 80%.
claimAs policy ambition increases, the impact of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies becomes more significant, reducing the dependence on technologies such as advanced nuclear and long-duration energy storage.
claimWithout carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, the capacity of advanced nuclear, renewables, and long-duration energy storage increases for CO2 reductions greater than 80%.
claimAs policy ambition for decarbonization increases, the impact of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies becomes more significant, reducing the electric sector's dependence on technologies like advanced nuclear power and long-duration energy storage.
Congressional testimony of Bob Perciasepe on advanced nuclear ... c2es.org Jun 4, 2019 7 facts
claimExtending the life of existing nuclear plants provides time to deploy more renewables, advanced nuclear technology, and carbon capture and storage before mid-century.
measurementIn the United States and Canada, nearly 50 companies backed by more than $1 billion in private capital are developing advanced nuclear reactor designs.
claimMaintaining existing nuclear reactors and extending their operational life up to 80 years prevents short- and medium-term increases in emissions while allowing time to deploy renewables, energy efficiency, energy storage, advanced nuclear, and fossil fuel-fired electricity with carbon capture and storage.
claimAdvanced nuclear reactors are capable of generating zero-emission electricity and useful heat, are scalable, and have a small physical footprint.
claimThe Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act (NEICA) and similar policies are intended to accelerate the development and innovation of clean technologies, including advanced nuclear, carbon capture, and energy storage.
claimNew advanced nuclear reactor designs are expected to be more affordable, safer, and produce less waste than the current generation of reactors.
claimThe Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) recommends that states with existing nuclear capacity take steps to prevent the premature retirement of these facilities while federal, regional, and state policies are developed to support clean energy technologies like renewables, energy efficiency, energy storage, advanced nuclear, and fossil fuel-fired electricity using carbon capture and storage.
Role of Advanced Nuclear Energy in Deep Decarbonization onlocationinc.com Oct 20, 2021 5 facts
claimTo achieve accurate modeling outcomes, energy modelers must incorporate advanced nuclear reactor designs with careful consideration for their unique properties and improvements over traditional light water reactors.
claimOnLocation published a paper for the Nuclear Innovation Alliance titled 'Role of Advanced Nuclear Energy in Deep Decarbonization' which argues that energy modelers should reassess how nuclear technologies are represented in energy system models.
claimAdvanced nuclear reactors can contribute significantly to meeting climate mitigation goals by serving as a complementary option to renewable energy technologies.
claimAdvanced nuclear reactors can contribute to climate mitigation goals by providing flexible operations, producing clean hydrogen or carbon-free fuels via heat and steam, and providing process heat for manufacturing industries.
claimExisting climate and energy-economic models may underestimate the capabilities of advanced nuclear reactors to meet electricity loads because they do not include the full range of advanced nuclear features.
Nuclear Energy and Climate Change Mitigation everycrsreport.com Apr 1, 2025 2 facts
referenceThe nuclear fuel supply provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) support advanced nuclear reactors by ensuring enrichment capacity is available for the specific fuel type they require, which includes up to 20% enrichment of the fissile isotope U-235.
claimX-energy is developing an advanced nuclear reactor project located in Seadrift, Texas.
Clean Energy Solutions Must Include Nuclear | ClearPath clearpath.org 2 facts
claimAdvanced nuclear reactor designs aim to improve safety, simplify plant operations, and potentially expand the use of nuclear energy to industrial heat applications to achieve carbon reductions in other economic sectors.
claimAdvanced nuclear reactors are currently under development by various vendors, with deployment expected to begin in the mid-2020s.
A Critical Disconnect: Relying on Nuclear Energy in ... energypolicy.columbia.edu Jul 6, 2023 2 facts
perspectiveDow Chairman and CEO Jim Fitterling stated in May 2023 that advanced nuclear technology could help Dow decarbonize operations at one of its manufacturing plants in Texas.
measurementThe US Department of Energy estimated in March 2023 that deploying advanced nuclear power would require approximately $1.2 trillion in investment, based on an average overnight cost of $6,000 per kilowatt.
What Role Does Nuclear Energy Play in the Race to Net Zero? earth.org Jul 19, 2023 1 fact
claimAdvanced nuclear reactors can complement renewable energy expansion by providing clean heat, hydrogen, and industrial process energy.
Could Advanced Reactors Make Carbon Capture Systems More ... energy.gov Sep 7, 2023 1 fact
measurementAdvanced nuclear reactors could lower the levelized cost of certain direct air capture technologies by up to 13 percent compared to non-nuclear-powered systems.
Chapter: 5 Beyond Electricity: Nuclear Power's Potential to Play a ... nationalacademies.org 1 fact
referenceThe National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published 'Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors in the United States' in 2023, which includes the chapter 'Beyond Electricity: Nuclear Power's Potential to Play a Broader Role in the Future Energy System'.
Nuclear energy's role in global decarbonization efforts catf.us Jan 20, 2023 1 fact
claimDr. Charlyne Smith is a nuclear energy analyst based in Washington, D.C., working for the Breakthrough Institute, who focuses on engaging with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regarding the licensing of advanced nuclear reactors.