Small nuclear reactors
Large scale nuclear reactors have become challenging to build in west. Renewable energy has become cheap and is driving the average electricity prices down. While nuclear is relatively cheap to operate, large nuclear power plants in west seem to take 10-20 years to build and cost billions. Upfront investment costs mean that without subsidies these projects are harder to justify.
| Project (country) | Net electrical output¹ (MWe) | Time to complete² (yrs) | Latest cost estimate ( € bn) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olkiluoto 3 (Finland, EPR-1600) | 1 600 | 2005 → 2023 → ≈ 18 yr (euronews) | ≈ 11 bn € (euronews) |
| Flamanville 3 (France, EPR-1630) | 1 630 | 2007 → (-grid) 2024 → ≈ 17 yr (Interesting Engineering) | ≈ 13.2 bn € (EDF says could rise to 19 bn €) (Interesting Engineering) |
| Hinkley Point C 1 & 2 (UK, 2 × EPR-1630) | 3 260 | 2018 → (expected) 2029 → ≈ 11 yr (World Nuclear News, Reuters) | ≈ 36 – 40 bn € (31-34 bn £, 2015 values, converted at £1 ≈ 1.17 €) (Reuters) |
| Vogtle 3 & 4 (USA, 2 × AP1000) | 2 228 | 2009 → 2024 → ≈ 15 yr (U.S. Energy Information Administration) | ≈ 28 – 32 bn € (> 30 bn US$, conversion at $1 ≈ 0.91 €) (U.S. Energy Information Administration) |
Notes
¹ Outputs are gross nameplate capacities for one unit (Olkiluoto 3, Flamanville 3) or combined for the two-unit projects (Hinkley Point C, Vogtle 3 & 4).
² “Time to complete” is counted from first nuclear-grade concrete to the start of commercial operation (or, for Hinkley, the target date published in 2024).
(Research by ChatGPT o3)
At the same time energy needs are going up, especially from data centers. While renewable energy is cheap when available, the production fluctuates
Luckily there are now multiple startups and other companies aiming to build smaller scale nuclear powerplants. Hopefully these will help to solve our energy needs in next few decades.
| Reactor / Project | Electrical output per module (MWe) |
|---|---|
| NuScale Power Module (VOYGR) | 77 (NuScale Power) |
| GE Hitachi BWRX-300 | 300 (GE Vernova) |
| Rolls-Royce SMR | 470 (English) |
| TerraPower Natrium | 345 (TerraPower) |
| X-energy Xe-100 | 80 (X-energy) |
| Holtec SMR-160 | 160 (Holtec International) |
| Linglong One (ACP100) | 125 (Nuclear Engineering International) |
| RITM-200N (Yakutia SMR) | 55 (World Nuclear News) |
| Seaborg CMSR | 100 (World Nuclear News) |
| Last Energy PWR-20 | 20 (lastenergy.com) |
| Oklo Aurora | 15 (NRC Web) |
| Kairos KP-FHR | 75 (commercial plant is planned as 2 × 75 MWe = 150 MWe) (World Nuclear News) |
(Research by ChatGPT o3)