Small Power Nuclear Plants: Technical Level and Prospects for Commercialization (Review)

The active development of the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route determines the importance of the rapid development of energy-supply systems for remote regions. A key component of isolated power systems are low-power energy sources. The high cost of fossil fuels in remote regions, coupled with tightening environmental regulations, brings to the fore the challenge of implementing carbon-neutral energy generation technologies. Promising power plants, the performance of which is little dependent on weather conditions, and whose operation is not associated with the generation of greenhouse gas emissions, are low-power nuclear power plants. Currently, some countries are developing and implementing new types of reactor plants whose electrical power does not exceed 300 MW: according to the IAEA, there are more than 70 different projects. Modularity, versatility (in addition to power generation, many projects also provide for the production of thermal energy and hydrogen), increased compactness, and lower capital costs for construction compared to traditional high-power power units make it promising to create low-power reactor plants. This review presents an analysis of the current state of the problems in the design and implementation of such power plants. The technical level of domestic and foreign projects of small modular reactors (SMR) was assessed. Promising areas for the use of thermal energy from small modular installations have been identified, taking into account current trends in energy, including low-carbon and nuclear-hydrogen areas. Possible circuit solutions for the production of electricity based on advanced cycles, including the use of nontraditional working fluids, have been studied. The potential for commercialization of low-power nuclear power plant projects has been considered; the question of successful business implementation of power plants of this type remains open.