At present, many countries are developing projects for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) as solutions to decarbonize heat and electricity production, both for domestic use and for export. Other countries are prepared to adopt the technology once it becomes available on an industrial scale. The competitiveness of both SMRs and AMRs is based on their modularity, flexibility of use, and the massive effects of serial production, which will help offset their high fixed costs. To date, however, although countries such as China, Russia, and the United States have taken a leading role, none has yet achieved the benefits of serial production—mainly due to a lack of funding. According to the French regulator CRE, substantial funding—either at the national or European level—focused on a few promising projects would deliver a double benefit for Europe, both in terms of time and costs.

A report prepared by a dedicated working group of the French regulator outlines the path forward and the actions needed to promote the deployment of small modular reactors in Fran

Heat production – the first market for SMRs

Through its hearings, the working group identified district heating networks and industrial heating below 300 °C as the most promising applications for SMRs in France and in countries where electricity generation is already decarbonized. For reactors of the same size, the amount of energy produced in the form of heat is two to three times greater than that produced as electricity. Heat production would therefore lower the cost per kWh and has strong potential to become competitive.

Eleven recommendations for development

The working group issued eleven recommendations for advancing the development of small modular reactors, focusing on three main priorities:

1) In the short term – accelerate and strengthen public efforts
The goal is to improve the chances of success for French and European industry compared with major international competitors.

• For SMRs, this means rapidly reaching the stage of industrialization and competitiveness within a timeframe close to that of international competitors and other European-level energy solutions (EnR).

• For the most technologically mature AMRs, the group recommends addressing uncertainties about access to raw materials and fuel production and accelerating their development so they can contribute to the hardest-to-decarbonize sectors (particularly heat > 300 °C) by 2040–2050.

2) Anticipating public debate and siting of facilities
Public acceptance of SMRs/AMRs is a decisive factor for deployment, especially since their size and investment needs may not always trigger the involvement of the National Commission for Public Debate.
Key issues to be addressed include:

• the spread of small reactors and their potential proximity to residential areas,

• projects being carried out by operators who may be little known to the general public,

• risks linked to co-location and shared operations.

It is therefore essential to plan their potential siting well in advance in order to begin public awareness efforts early.

3) In the medium term – prepare training and address end-of-cycle challenges
The group emphasized the importance of ensuring that the necessary skills will be available to industrialize SMRs/AMRs once the concepts reach technological maturity. This requires identifying and training new profiles in the medium term.

In addition, waste and radioactive materials management should be addressed from the design stage, with related costs included in the overall project budget. Preliminary work must be undertaken to define the conditions, risks, and storage capacities for waste and materials, in cooperation with Andra.

Read the full report: here (FR)