Small and modular reactors and their potential use in the Czech Republic

Abstract

The paper is focused on small and modular nuclear reactors and their potential use in the Czech Republic. Small and modular reactors, which have been widely discussed since the last decade over the world, can bring new potential to nuclear power programmes in both developing and developed countries. The main reasons for construction of small and modular reactors are increasing demand for sources of electricity for remote, isolated or local supply, the district heating and for the process heat in industry. Small and modular reactors can be used in the energy mix of the Czech Republic as small local cogeneration sources of electricity and heating for industrial applications and for district heating as well as for potential new unit in of the Dukovany nuclear power plant or small and modular reactors can replace its old units. The first analysis shows that for the Czech Republic, the US-origin light water reactors mPower Reactor, NuScale Reactor or the Russian-origin liquid metal cooled reactor SVBR-100 Reactor are the most suitable and are chosen from more than 30 concepts of small and modular reactors.