Sandro Baldi,

NUWARD Commercial Director

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With NUWARD, EDF is leading the fight against climate change. We are helping our clients and partners build a resilient energy strategy. The simplicity and reliability of our NUWARD SMR solution will make safe and affordable nuclear power available anywhere in the world.

A competitive solution to produce low carbon dispatchable electricity, and more

NUWARD SMR is designed to ensure security of supply to the electric system with low carbon baseload nuclear energy:

  • load following as a complementary solution to renewable energy sources,
  • replace coal-fired plants in the 300-400MWe range,
  • supply remote municipalities and energy-intensive industrial sites.

NUWARD SMR is also designed to support other energy intensive applications such as heat & electricity cogeneration, hydrogen production, district heating, and water desalination.
 

The NUWARD SMR is being developed with a fast and efficient build process. The construction period of the plant is 40 months. This is made possible through its simple, modular and standardised design.

A robust design

NUWARD SMR is based on proven Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) technology alongside key technological innovations. It is composed of 2 fully integrated reactors housed in a single nuclear building.

Technical features

  • Electrical power output: 2 x 170 MWe
  • Thermal Power: 2 x 540 MWth
  • Plant availability: ≥ 90%
  • Design service life: > 60 years
  • Operation cycle length: Up to 24 months
  • Fuel: standard UO2 < 5% enrichment / 17x17 square pitch arrangement

Safe by design

NUWARD SMR will meet the highest international safety standards (IAEA and WENRA).

  • The nuclear island building is semi-buried,
  • Fully integrated Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV),
  • Water immersed steel containment structure,
  • Boron-free primary circuit,
  • Passive systems to cool the reactor.

Thanks to a reduced need for Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) beyond the site boundary, NUWARD SMR can be safely located close to population centres or industrial sites.

In order to support the licensing process, the NUWARD SMR is being reviewed jointly by 3 safety authorities: the French Safety Authority (ASN), the Czech (SUJB) and Finnish (STUK) safety authorities.

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