25 May (NucNet): NuScale Power, Babcock & Wilcox and Westinghouse have submitted applications for US Department of Energy (DOE) funding to support the initial licensing and construction of small modular reactors (SMRs) in the US.
The three vendors met the 21 May 2012 submission deadlines. The companies will be competing for government funding to support the licensing and construction of SMRs by 2022.
Westinghouse said it had submitted its proposal to the on behalf of the NexStart SMR Alliance.
NuScale, which was the first US-based SMR vendor to begin discussions with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2008, confirmed its application in a statement.
Babcock & Wilcox confirmed to NucNet it had submitted its application, but said it would not issue a statement. On its website the company says its B&W mPower SMR programme is “well-defined and on an aggressive schedule for deployment”.
According to Westinghouse, the cost-share agreements will cover a five-year period and ensure a total investment of about $900 million (706 million euro), with at least 50 percent provided by private industry.
The final decision on awarding the funds is expected in late summer of 2012, Westinghouse said.
