France bets €1bn on startups building bus-sized nuclear reactors to fight climate change

After years of playing defence, the nation’s nuclear industry is seizing its startup moment After years of trying to reduce its dependence on nuclear power, France has radically changed its tune, betting heavily on the sector to help reach its climate goals. The French government has committed €1bn as part of its France 2030 plan to support …

Parliament backs EU push for small nuclear reactors

The European Parliament backed the development of small nuclear reactors (SMRs) this week, a move welcomed by EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, who has already called for a rapid turnaround of EU initiatives. Tabled by Slovenian EPP MEP Franc Bogovič, the  European Parliament’s initiative report on “small modular reactors” was adopted with 409 votes in favour, 173 …

Korean team to push their SMR design with eyes on Canada

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (Kaeri) and Hyundai Engineering have signed a memorandum of agreement aimed at winning export markets for its small modular reactor (SMR) technology. The agreement was formalised on Monday by Hong Hyun-seong, the chief executive of Hyundai, and Joo Han-gyu, the president of Kaeri. “Together with Hyundai Engineering, we anticipate …

Clean energy transition will be difficult, says Higgs, as he unveils 12-year strategy

Plan involves doubling nuclear energy generation capacity by developing small modular reactors The New Brunswick government has laid out a strategy for how it broadly plans to ramp up capacity for renewable and nuclear energy generation, while reducing the province’s reliance on diesel and oil. But the 12-year plan unveiled Wednesday falls short of putting a …

ENEC signs multiple SMR MoUs

The company responsible for implementing the UAE’s civil nuclear power programme has signed separate agreements with several small modular reactor (SMR) developers on the sidelines of the COP28 climate conference in Dubai. The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) with UK-based advanced nuclear technology developer MoltexFLEX and US-based SMR developers …

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs measure lifting Illinois’ moratorium on new nuclear power plants

A nearly four-decade moratorium on the construction of nuclear plants in Illinois will end next year under a measure signed Friday by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who vetoed an earlier version of the bill. Legislators passed a new iteration of the bill last month that addressed concerns Pritzker raised in an August veto message about the size …

Six SMR power plants approved in Poland

Poland’s Ministry of Climate and Environment has issued decisions-in-principle for the construction of power plants based on GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) at six locations. A total of 24 BWRX-300 reactors are planned at the sites. In mid-April, Orlen Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) announced it had shortlisted seven locations in Poland …

China starts up world’s first fourth-generation nuclear reactor

 China has started commercial operations at a new generation nuclear reactor that is the first of its kind in the world, state media said on Wednesday. Compared with previous reactors, the fourth generation Shidaowan plant in China’s northern Shandong province is designed to use fuel more efficiently and improve its economics, safety and environmental footprint …

First Two SMR-300 Units Slated to be Built at Michigan’s Palisades Site for Commissioning by Mid-2030

Holtec’s Dual-Unit SMR-300 Small Modular Nuclear Plant in Perspective View Buoyed by the State of Michigan’s commitment to expand in-state carbon-free generation as well as by the broad-based federal, state, and community support for repowering the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, we have started the program to build our first two SMR-300 reactor units at the …