EDF said it had finalised the preliminary design of the Nuward plant. The new Nuward subsidiary is now committed to the detailed preliminary design, in line with an objective of beginning construction of a reference unit in 2030.
EDF said Nuward aims to become the European leader in SMR, offering reliable and carbon-free energy at a competitive cost for the global market.
EDF said that in line with the licensing process a safety options file will be submitted to the French nuclear regulator ASN in July. Nuward work with French authorities to assess and select sites that could potentially accommodate the first plant.
EDF and Nuward will continue to seek alliances with international prospects considering deploying Nuward SMR technology.
The Nuward project is being led by EDF with contributions from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), French industrial group Naval Group, reactor design and maintenance company TechnicAtome, nuclear company Framatome and engineering company Tractebel.
Nuward is a Generation III pressurised water reactor combining two 170 MW reactors for a total output of 340 MW. One of the main characteristics of the plant will be the integration of proven PWR technology into a compact modular configuration.
