Small Modular Reactor Deployment and Obstacles to Be Overcome

Elaheh Shobeiri, Filippo Genco, Daniel Hoornweg and Akira Tokuhiro ()
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Elaheh Shobeiri: Faculty Engineering and Applied Science, Ontario Tech University, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5, Canada
Filippo Genco: Faculty Engineering and Applied Science, Ontario Tech University, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5, Canada
Daniel Hoornweg: Faculty Engineering and Applied Science, Ontario Tech University, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5, Canada
Akira Tokuhiro: Faculty Engineering and Applied Science, Ontario Tech University, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5, Canada

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-19

Abstract: To meet climate policy goals, it will be necessary to deploy a series of low-carbon energy technologies, including nuclear power. The small modular reactor (SMR) can potentially support climate change mitigation and energy security issues. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are gaining popularity; however, one crucial debate is whether SMRs can compete economically with conventional nuclear reactors or not. From a commercial point of view, SMRs will be able to provide process heat in various industrial applications, replace older nuclear, natural gas, and coal power facilities, and serve smaller energy markets with less established infrastructure. Realizing these advantages would rely heavily on the near-term quick up-scaling of SMRs; this paper, then, examines and identifies some of the most hindering constraints and barriers for the quick deployment of SMR such as the technology choice, licensing, economy of scale and financing, public acceptance, supply chain, and proliferation. A clear identification of the evident and more hidden bottlenecks preventing a quick deployment is made putting in evidence areas in need of much deeper analysis than the one conducted by the SMR community so far.

Keywords: small modular reactor deployment; licensing; public acceptance; financing; supply chain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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