Accelerating Deployment of Advanced Nuclear Power Generation

Nuclear Power generation is an integral part of the energy transition according to COP 28 (Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). (Nuclear Energy Makes History as Final COP28 Agreement Calls for Faster Deployment | International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)). There are many new reactor designs in various stages of development, for example 68 Small Nuclear Reactor (SMR) designs are mentioned in “Small nuclear reactors – advances in SMR developments’, IAEA, 2024 p15790-PUB9062_web.pdf, that are presumed safer than the currently deployed Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs). Some of the new designs are PWRs but many are not. (2024 ARIS SMR catalogue: aris.iaea.org/publications/SMR_Catalogue_2024.pdf).

There is a need to understand where there may be gaps in technical codes, standards, and regulations for these ‘First of a Kind’ reactors being developed.

Additional considerations in accelerating nuclear reactor deployment include:

• Licensing is required for each country, and not transferable (i.e. lack of reciprocal acceptance agreements). This is a major barrier to accelerated deployment of nuclear plant deployment.
• Requirements and licensing for applications that are cross-jurisdictional — Large containers and cruise ships currently rely on fossil fuels for power, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To mitigate this impact, nuclear power reactors have been proposed as a replacement for conventional engines. In addition to their environmental advantages, nuclear-powered ships offer superior efficiency and cost-effectiveness. However, the licensing process presents a major challenge, as reactors must be approved in multiple jurisdictions. Establishing a standardized regulatory framework for the maritime use of nuclear power would be a crucial step toward overcoming this barrier and advancing global efforts to combat climate change.
• Another potential area of concern is the reliable supply of materials as the deployment of nuclear power generation plants is expected to grow.
• There is also a lack of enough pilot facilities for the testing and demonstration of new designs. (for example, pilot facilities Canada Nuclear Laboratory (CNL) https://www.cnl.ca and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) https://inl.gov)

The goal of this activity is to develop a landscape and gap analysis towards recommendations and eventually guides and/or best practices where IEEE expertise can be leveraged to support the acceleration of the safe deployment of advanced nuclear power generation.

• Standards and Research Bodies, Governmental Labs
• Regulator(s)
• Licensing stakeholders
• Industry (Utilities, Suppliers, A&E Firms, Equipment and Technical Service Suppliers)
• International Organizations

To learn more about the program and how to join, please express your interest by completing the Accelerating Deployment of Advanced Nuclear Power Generation interest form.