NuScale, KGHM agree to deploy SMRs in Poland
14 February 2022
NuScale Power and Polish copper and silver producer KGHM Polska Miedź SA have signed a definitive agreement to initiate work towards deploying a first NuScale VOYGR small modular reactor (SMR) power plant in Poland as early as 2029.
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The signing of the agreement (Image: KGHM)
The first task under the agreement - signed in Washington, DC - will identify and assess potential project sites and develop project planning milestones and cost estimates.
These activities support KGHM as it evaluates NuScale VOYGR plants as a coal repurposing solution for existing power plants, as well as opportunities to deploy VOYGR plants to provide safe, carbon-free, reliable energy for their operations and to support other Polish industrial energy users.
The new agreement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in September 2021 by NuScale Power, KGHM and business engineering advisory consultancy PBE to jointly explore the deployment of NuScale's SMR technology as a repowering or repurposing solution for existing coal-fired power plants and electricity and heat for KGHM's industrial processes in Poland.
Under the MoU, NuScale will support KGHM and PBE's examination which will include an analysis of technical, economic, legal, regulatory, financial, and organisational factors.
"This new commercial agreement marks a significant milestone in NuScale's progress towards commercialisation and advancing clean, reliable, and affordable energy in Poland," NuScale said.
"In the global race to rapidly decrease emissions worldwide, NuScale's technology presents the perfect solution to reach this goal while simultaneously bringing economic prosperity to host countries," said NuScale Chairman and CEO John Hopkins.
"NuScale is proud to partner with KGHM, an experienced innovation leader, and we are excited to work together to bring forth the next era of advanced clean energy deployment and confront the climate crisis."
Marcin Chludziński, president of KGHM's management board, added: "KGHM is proud to lead the initiation of a 100% carbon-free energy project, delivering on its commitment to lead efforts to decarbonise. The SMR technology will increase the company's cost efficiency and transform the Polish energy sector."
NuScale offers its SMR technology in scalable sizes, including a VOYGR-12 power plant, which includes 12 (77 MWe) NuScale Power Modules, using a safer, smaller and scalable version of pressurised water reactor technology. NuScale also offers smaller power plant solutions, the four-module VOYGR-4 (308 MWe) and six-module VOYGR-6 (462 MWe), though others will be possible.
The company said its VOYGR power plants can generate up to 270 permanent power plant jobs, 1200 construction jobs and 4600 manufacturing jobs per plant deployment, and act as an effective and critical means to reach climate goals.
In August 2020, NuScale's SMR became the first, and so far, only, SMR design to receive approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
In December 2021, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, BWXT Canada and Poland's Synthos Green Energy signed a Letter of Intent to cooperate in deploying BWRX-300 SMRs in Poland. SGE, together with its partners, plans to deploy at least 10 BWRX-300 SMRs in Poland by the early 2030s.
Synthos also signed a cooperation agreement in November 2020 with Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation, which is developing the high-temperature gas-cooled Micro Modular Reactor, or MMR.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News