Europe can substantially reduce the cost of deploying small modular reactors (SMRs) by working together to build an initial fleet across multiple countries, rather than pursuing isolated demonstration projects, a study by researchers at the Politecnico di Milano technical university in Italy suggests.  

The study, commissioned by the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) thinktank, finds that building an initial 5-8 GW fleet of standardised SMRs, would unlock most of the cost reductions associated with much larger deployment programmes.

By creating a predictable orderbook of SMRs, Europe can help offer investors and manufacturers the certainty needed to strengthen supply chains, contributing to the reduction of financing costs, and lowering the costs of future projects, the study concludes.