Construction scheduled to start later this year, says Steady Energy
Finnish small modular reactor developer Steady Energy is to build a non-nuclear pilot facility at the decommissioned Salmisaari B coal power station in Helsinki to demonstrate the maturity and safety of its LDR-50 reactor for district heating.
Steady Energy and energy firm Helen have signed an agreement to lease the decommissioned Salmisaari B power plant building as a space for Steady Energy’s small modular reactor (SMR) pilot plant. The lease runs until 2028.
The pilot facility is to be built within the turbine hall of the power plant. Construction is scheduled to start in late 2025 with a budget of €15m-€20m ($17m-$23m), funded by capital investments already raised by Steady Energy.
Steady Energy is one of a number of reactor technology companies planning underground SMRs. Its LDR-50 plant is comparable in size to an upright shipping container and can be built entirely underground or on an existing industrial site.
The company has already signed letters of intent for the delivery of up to 15 reactors for district heating with Helsinki’s local utility Helen and Kuopio Energy.
Finland is largely heated by district heating, mostly from fossil fuels, peat and wood.
District heating systems take energy released as heat from a range of energy sources – in this case an SMR – and connect it to energy consumers through a system of highly insulated pipes. One advantage of SMRs would be their low emissions.
