First unit likely to be in France, with a second expected in Italy
France’s EDF plans to build 10 small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) in the European Union by 2035 under a project aiming to help the bloc reduce its dependency on fossil fuel imports, an EDF executive said on 18 September, according to Reuters.
The state-owned French power group plans to use a technology developed by its Nuward subsidiary for the SMRs, EDF senior vice-president Vakisasai Ramany said at an event hosted by its Edison unit and attended by Italian companies that will be part of the supply chain.
The first SMR is due to be built in France with another expected to be located in Italy with assistance from Edison and potential support from energy contractor Saipem and construction group Webuild among others.
Ramany added that EDF was also in discussions with governments over the possibility of building some of the small nuclear plants in Poland, Belgium and Finland.
The Nuward project was launched in September 2019 by France’s Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, EDF, Naval Group and TechnicAtome.
The Generation III plant will have around 340 of total capacity, typically featuring twin 170 MW reactor modules.
After early development of the technology and a shortlisting in the UK’s SMR competition, the Nuward project was paused in July 2024.
EDF said at the time that this was in response to feedback from potential European customers, adding at the time that it planned to “optimise” the Nuward design, focusing on existing and proven technologies, in order to guarantee that future project deadlines and budgets were met.
An EDF representative told NucNet earlier this year that the aim is to finalise the basic design in 2028 and detailed design in 2031.
