Thread

NRC issues first U.S. construction permit for a BWRX-300 small modular reactor

151 points · 191 comments · papa-whisky

preisschild · 1790751984 · focus · HN ↗
The BWRX-300 footprint is so large they might as well just build large nuclear power units again and get 3-4x the power
1. sandworm101 · 1790757425 · focus · HN ↗
  From thier website: "The BWRX-300 power block is small enough to fit within two international football pitches."
  And after some digging, the core alone is 4.2m INNER diameter and over 27m tall. That is smaller than average but this is a far cry from the sales pitch of reactor modules being mass produced in a factory to be delivered to site by truck.
  <a href="https://www.gevernova.com/content/dam/gevernova-nuclear/global/en_us/documents/carbon-free-power/005N9751-BWRX-300-General-Description.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://www.gevernova.com/content/dam/gevernova-nuclear/glob...
  1. T-A · 1790766770 · focus · HN ↗
    Going by the last table at
    <a href="https://www.icetransport.com/blog/what-are-the-maximum-oversize-load-dimensions-on-us-highways" rel="nofollow">https://www.icetransport.com/blog/what-are-the-maximum-overs...
    ("Oversize/Overweight Permit Limits by State (Standard Freight Loads") that should be deliverable by truck with a permit.
    mrngld · 1790771505 · focus · HN ↗
    That discusses 'superloads', I hadn't heard it called that before but it's accurate in the sense that things like self-propelled modular transporters (or towed equivalents) can move just about anything just about anywhere IF the road infrastructure all along the route is amenable to it.
    Pictures don't do them justice, they're amazing to see in person. I think a typical SMR is on the small end of what's possible to move by road.
    crote · 1790841942 · focus · HN ↗
    So are wind turbines. "Deliverable by truck" in this sense means "physically fits on a closed-down highway", not "you'll randomly pass it on your commute".

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