France’s state-owned utility and nuclear operator EDF has decided to change its small modular reactor product strategy by shifting away from its indigenous Nuward nuclear plant towards the development of a design based on proven technology only, the company told NucNet.

EDF said the Nuward SMR has reached the basic design phase, during which engineering teams made progress on the layout, systems and equipment of the power plant.

But in an emailed statement to NucNet on 2 July, EDF said that “considering the evolving SMR market dynamics and the learnings drawn from the development of the Nuward plant”, the EDF Group has decided on a change of strategy.

“To address the needs expressed by the market timely and competitively, the EDF Group has decided to shift its product strategy towards the development of a design based on proven technology bricks only,” the statement said.