The Finnish SMR designed to produce heat, not electricity

Steady Energy is developing the LDR-50 small modular reactor with the initial goal of decarbonising district heating systems. The CEO of the Finnish company, Tommi Nyman, explains why the decision to focus on heat rather than electricity was taken.

The company was spun out of VTT, Finland's national research lab, and was prompted by its researchers noting that 10% of CO2 emissions come from heating water or steam to 150C and thinking "why not build something simple that would only cover low temperature heat markets". "In the context of the climate crisis, nuclear is a very good option, but the problem has been getting projects economically sound so that nuclear can be utilised without large subsidies. We know that the most economical way to use nuclear is just to generate thermal energy without using the heat to create electricity," he tells host Alex Hunt.

Nyman added that simplicity has been key to their design, "by only producing heat you can reduce the amount of equipment in a nuclear power plant by 50%". The cost of energy they are aiming at is below EUR40 per MWh, depending on how the utility wants to operate it and the aim is to have a first plant delivered in 2030.

Also in this episode World Nuclear News's Claire Maden reports on events in India, South Africa and uranium developments in the USA and Australia.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Finnish municipal decision-makers favourable to SMRs
India's NTPC confirms plans for nuclear subsidiary
South Africa pauses nuclear procurement process

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Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production