Webinar 43: Overview of Small Modular Reactor Technology Development

Nuclear electricity generation started with prototype and test reactors of a small size and low power. Relatively quickly these were replaced by increasingly larger nuclear power plants due to increased needs, economy of scale and limited available sites. For several years the interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) has increased with over 50 concept designs now under development. The IAEA defines SMRs as advanced nuclear power plants with one or more individual modules that each produce electric power up to 300 MWe. A module may be built in factories and shipped to nuclear sites for installation and added as the need arises. All advanced technologies are included (water cooled, Gen-IV systems and micro-reactors). SMRs claim enhanced passive safety features, simplified design and operations, economy by numbers and the flexibility in hybrid energy systems and non- electric applications. The webinar highlights the attractive features of SMRs, major challenges, the current status of SMR technology and near-term deployment plans.

Mr. Frederik Reitsma is the Team Leader for SMRs in the Nuclear Power Technology Development Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. He joined the IAEA nearly 7 years ago and manages, coordinates and supervises the projects in this area. He provides technical and program leadership by identifying key future trends and technology development needs in cooperation with Member States. Previously, he was head of the High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor project. Frederik holds a master’s degree in Reactor Science and has published more than 90 papers. He has been invited as a speaker to many international workshops and conferences and led several international cooperation projects (such as OECD/NEA and GIF). He is a reactor physicist by training with extensive experience in SMRs and HTGRs nuclear engineering and analysis with core neutronics design and safety as focus areas. He worked on the South African PBMR project in different leadership positions for 13 years. For the first 10 years of his career, he contributed to the OSCAR reactor calculational system development and performed cycle and reload analysis.