Cooperative Living May 2021 - 24

CuttingEdge | by Maria Kanevsky, Contributing Columnist
Could New Technology
Boost Nuclear Energy?
hnology
Small modular reactors eyed as a way
to overcome nuclear's hurdles
W
hen we think about
renewable energy, solar
energy and wind energy
typically come to mind. As a result,
nuclear energy has received less
attention in recent years, but it merits
consideration for a low-carbon future.
While solar and wind energy dependnd
on weather conditions, nuclear energy
can be generated at any time, making
it a reliable and steady source of power.r.
In the mid-Atlantic, many electric
co-ops get a share of reliable energy
from the North Anna Power Station
in Louisa County, Va.
Though nuclear energy is one of the
safest forms of generation, it has been
accompanied by safety questions, high
upfront costs and lengthy construction
time. As a result, only one new reactor
- Watts Bar 2 in Tennessee - has
come online in the U.S. since 1996.
A SMALLER FOOTPRINT
Interest in building large-scale
nuclear power plants likely won't
return. However, small modular nuclear
reactors are starting to emerge as an
alternative form of nuclear energy.
SMRs have the greatest potential of any
technology to bring back the industry.
Paul Zurawski, a senior resident inspector
at D.C. Cook Nuclear Plant in Michigan,
conducts on-site safety inspections.
They generate
less energy than
a typical nuclear
plant, but also
are smaller. As
a result, they can
be transported
by trucks, making
it much easier to
mass produce the
modules in one
location and then
to ship them to different areas
nationwide.
Their small size also means they
can be located in areas that can't
support an entire nuclear plant, like
a remote town or a mining area. By
stacking or placing several SMRs side
by side, the total energy output can be
customized depending on the needs
of the surrounding community. They
can even be used alone or combined
with other renewable energies, making
them more flexible.
READY FOR TAKEOFF?
A huge benefit of SMRs is that they
have much lower upfront costs
compared with a large nuclear power
plant. According to one study, SMRs
could be somewhere
between 15% to 40%
less expensive than
a traditional nuclear
power plant, yet
provide the same
amount of electricity.
Costs for
renewable energies
such as solar
and wind have
significantly
decreased, while
costs for nuclear
have remained
22 | Cooperative Living | May 2021
Small modular reactors could
be an alternative to these
large nuclear power plants.
steady. As a result, SMRs could be
a game changer in making nuclear
energy, which provides about 20% of
the U.S. power mix, more affordable
and competitive.
NuScale Power is one of the most
prominent U.S. companies currently
developing SMR technology. The
company is planning to build the first
SMR complex in the U.S. by the end
of this decade. Several other companies
have SMR technology in the
developmental stage and hope to
deploy projects in the next decade
or so.
With all this in mind, it's important
to note that SMRs are not yet fully
operational. A great deal of the current
technology only exists as a computer
model and hasn't been built into a
physical project. More testing and
certifications must be done before
we will see any commonplace SMR
technology.
Despite this, there's great promise
in the flexibility and affordability that
SMRs can bring to the electric grid.
With the potential to revitalize nuclear
energy, this technology will be
something to watch. ■
Maria Kanevsky writes on consumer and
cooperative affairs for the National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association.
co-opliving.com
PHOTO COURTESY NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
PHOTO COURTESY GARRETT HUBBARD
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living May 2021

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