NuScale filed an application for certification of their SMR (small modular reactor) design in December of 2016.  The NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) accepted it for review in March 2017.  In August 2020, the NRC issued a final safety evaluation report (FSER), putting the design on track to receive full design certification. Last week, the NRC certified their VOYGR SMR design.  This makes the VOYGR SMR only the seventh reactor design approved for use in the United States.

Photo Credit: World Nuclear News

This final rule certification allows utilities to reference the NuScale design when applying for a combined license to build and operate a reactor. The design will be incorporated as Appendix G to 10 CFR Part 52, Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants.

Currently, the DOE (Department of Energy) is working with UAMPS (Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems) through their Carbon Free Power Project to demonstrate their six-module NuScale VOYGR plant at the Idaho National Laboratory – the first module is expected to be operational by 2029.

Note: Learn more on NuScale in our February Newsletter (www.gttsi.com) in the “Did You Know” page.