The draft concept assessment of Steady Energy’s proposed LDR-50 small modular reactor has resulted in it being found fit for generating nuclear energy.
The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) conducted the assessment and it found that the SMR concept can be developed to meet Finland’s nuclear safety requirements.
Steady Energy will now continue with developing the design based on the feedback it received from the government agency.
During the concept assessment stage, the authorities examine the prerequisites for designing and building a safe nuclear power plant.
It is not required under the current laws in Finland, but Steady Energy had requested STUK to conduct an assessment which would be in line with future regulations.
STUK assesses the small modular reactor concept
The assessment solidifies Steady Energy’s claim that the small modular reactor concept can be built as per its design concept to meet Finland’s nuclear safety requirements.
“The result of the concept assessment supports our view of the development schedule of the LDR-50 nuclear power plant and confirms our previous view of the implementation schedule of the LDR-50 plants in Finland. We will continue to work closely with STUK,” says Tommi Nyman, CEO of Steady Energy.
The company will now take the recommendations of the assessment into consideration as it aims to demonstrate the operation of key safety features in a full-size pilot plant. The pilot plant is going to be built inside the former coal-fired power plant of the energy company Helen in Salmisaari, Helsinki. It will demonstrate the maturity and safety of Steady Energy’s SMR technology. However, it will not contain nuclear fuel in its reactor core.
The next step in regulatory assessment will be conducted by an international team. The regulators from different countries will utilize the work done by STUK.
The company had earlier announced that it has already signed agreements for 15 LDR reactors in Finland, and is also expanding to Sweden and the Baltics.
Steady Energy’s LDR-50 nuclear reactor
The LDR-50 nuclear reactor is different from other SMRs as it is designed to generate only heat – not power.
It is a 50 MW concept that can produce heat up to 302 degrees Fahrenheit (150° Celsius). The heat produced by the SMR can be used for district heating, industrial steam production, and desalination projects.
It is a simplified pressurized light water reactor that operates at significantly lower pressures than conventional nuclear reactors. Moreover, the plant’s simple design is aimed at lowering construction costs significantly and making it cost-competitive with competing production methods.
Steady Energy says that the output is zero-carbon thermal power, and just a few units can warm an entire medium-sized city, whatever the weather.
The levelized cost of heat would be below 42.3 dollars (40 €) per MWh, and the plant is investable by a single energy utility without requiring government subsidies.
The company has set a goal to introduce zero-emission heating plants to the market by 2030. The goal is to begin operations and expand to full-scale production by that time.