Thread

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

151 points · 191 comments · papa-whisky

throwaway2037 · 1790811686 · focus · HN ↗
First, the Wiki page[1] for this reactor design has so little technical information. Frankly, it is a disappointing. For example, no where on the page does it explain that "300" means 300MW nameplate capacity. I had to Google for that info.
The canary in the coal mine is already happening in Canada.
From Wiki: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BWRX-300#Canada" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BWRX-300#Canada
```
    &gt; On December 1, 2021, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) selected the BWRX-300 SMR for use at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station.  The final investment decision in May 2025 to proceed with the build of a BWRX-300 was based on a forecast cost of Canadian $7.7 billion (US$5.6 billion), with an estimated cost of Canadian $13.2 billion (US$9.6 billion) for the three further units on the same site.
```
Yikes. Estimated cost of 15.2B USD for 1200MW of capacity. I am taking bets: How much will this project overrun its estimates? My guess: 25-50%. I don't get it. Why are these better than just building one big reactor with 1000MW+ of capacity?
Also, it looks like Darlington Nuclear Generating Station originally planned to build 4x 1200MV Advanced CANDU reactors. These were cancelled and replaced with a plan to build 4x BWRX-300 reactors.
[1] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BWRX-300" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BWRX-300
1. john01dav · 1790836675 · focus · HN ↗
  > Yikes. Estimated cost of 15.2B USD for 1200MW of capacity. I am taking bets: How much will this project overrun its estimates? My guess: 25-50%. I don't get it. Why are these better than just building one big reactor with 1000MW+ of capacity?
  It's my understanding that they want to be able to mass produce these kinds of smaller reactors, to drive the cost down over time.
  So, the 1st one isn't competitive. But, hopefully, the 100th or 1,000th will be.
  1. throwaway2037 · 1790863052 · focus · HN ↗
    Please review this comment after 5, 10, 15, 20 years. I doubt that Planet Earth will have 1,000 SMRs built by this time, nor will the 1,000th be wildly cheaper than the 1st.
    xattt · 1790864381 · focus · HN ↗
    What comments were being made about French designs at the time?
    throwaway2037 · 1791129117 · focus · HN ↗
    My hot take: They should have built 2+ CANDU 9 reactors. Multiple installations already exist, and it is a very good design.

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