‘Game-changing’ mid-sized unit could be under construction by end of decade
Westinghouse Electric has submitted a pre-application regulatory engagement plan with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its AP300 small modular reactor as it aims for design certification of the “game-changing” technology by 2027.
Westinghouse unveiled the mid-sized AP300 plant earlier this month and said it could be under construction at a cost of $1bn per unit by the end of the decade.
The engagement plan outlines the pre-application activities Westinghouse will have with NRC staff to support the AP300 SMR licensing.
The plan includes the basic design philosophy of the AP300 technology, an overview of the proposed licensing approach and a timeline for planned pre-application interactions between the NRC and Westinghouse, with the goal of soliciting NRC feedback on what Westinghouse called “noteworthy topics”.
The AP300 SMR is based on the large-scale Westinghouse AP1000 reactor, the only Generation III+ advanced nuclear technology operating in the world.
There are four Westinghouse AP1000 units in commercial operation, two at Sanmen in China and two at Haiyang in China, with six more under construction in China. Two are nearing commercial operation at Vogtle in the US state of Georgia.
David Durham, energy systems president for Westinghouse, said basing the AP300 SMR on an nth-of-a-kind operating reactor is a key differentiator. He said the work Westinghouse undertaking with the NRC should minimise regulatory complexity and create an efficient path for the licensing of the AP300 SMR design.
Westinghouse’s Generation III+ advanced technology has regulatory approval in the US, Great Britain and China, and compliance with European Utility Requirements (EUR) standards for nuclear power plants.
This brings licensing advantages and substantially reduces delivery risk for customers, Westinghouse said.
