NuScale small modular reactor first to receive US NRC design approval

 KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 -- NuScale Power has announced that the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed Phase 6 review -- the last and final phase -- of the Design Certification Application (DCA) for its groundbreaking small modular reactor (SMR) with issuance of the Final Safety Evaluation Report (FSER).

The FSER represents completion of the technical review and approval of the NuScale SMR design, according to a statement.

With this final phase of NuScale’s DCA now complete, customers can proceed with plans to develop NuScale power plants with the understanding the NRC has approved the safety aspects of the NuScale design.

“This is a significant milestone not only for NuScale, but also for the entire US nuclear sector and the other advanced nuclear technologies that will follow. This clearly establishes the leadership of NuScale and the US in the race to bring SMRs to market,” said NuScale Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, John Hopkins.

The company has submitted 14 separate Topical Reports in addition to over 12,000 pages for its DCA application and provided more than two million pages of supporting information for NRC audits.

The Oregon-based NuScale Power has developed a new modular light water reactor nuclear power plant to supply energy for electrical generation, district heating, desalination and other process heat applications.

-- BERNAMA