CEA, EDF, Naval Group and TechnicAtome present NUWARD TM : a joint development for a future small modular reactor

On September 17, 2019, during the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, the CEA, EDF, Naval Group, and TechnicAtome unveiled NUWARDTM, a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) project currently under joint development. This solution, based on pressurized water reactor (PWR) technology, is designed to meet the growing global demand for decarbonized, safe, and competitive electricity in the 300–400 MWe power range.

NUWARDTMwill benefit from the best French technologies, drawn from more than 50 years of expertise in the design, development, and construction of pressurized water reactors, as well as operational experience equivalent to nearly 2,000 reactor-years.

Based on this proven technology, NUWARDTMwill be a modular solution incorporating several major innovations that will benefit both the operator and the product’s competitiveness: the simplicity and compactness of an integrated design, flexibility during construction and operation, and an innovative safety approach compliant with the highest global standards.

The CEA’s expertise in research and the qualification of new technologies, EDF’s experience as a system integrator and operator, Naval Group’s expertise in modular structures, and TechnicAtome’s expertise in the design of compact reactors are all being fully leveraged to achieve these objectives.

With the goal of offering a competitive product to the global market by the end of the next decade, the NUWARDTMpartners are open to international cooperation to promote regulatory harmonization, design standardization, and optimization.

Accordingly, the CEA and EDF have begun discussions with Westinghouse Electric Company to explore cooperation on the development of small modular reactors (SMRs).

François Jacq, Director General of the CEA, stated: “The CEA’s mission is to develop the low-carbon energy solutions of tomorrow, particularly SMR technology. For the NUWARDTMproject, the CEA is contributing its expertise in reactor core design, the development and validation of computational tools, safety analyses, and the qualification of systems and components by making its test facilities available for R&D activities.”

Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman and CEO of EDF, stated: “EDF is committed to leveraging all of its experience to make NUWARDTMa success. Together with our partners, we are confident that the project unveiled today marks a promising start for a safe and competitive technology that will meaningfully expand the range of low-carbon electricity generation solutions offered by the French nuclear industry. We are proud to collaborate with leading experts and to develop this new nuclear technology capable of meeting the needs of a high-potential market.”

Hervé Guillou, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group, stated: “For more than 40 years, Naval Group has been building nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers powered by small nuclear power units. Naval Group is thus committed to the highest standards of safety, competitiveness, and innovation in the nuclear field. This collaboration is a great opportunity and offers interesting synergies with our core business in nuclear propulsion. Naval Group is proud to contribute to the NUWARDTMproject.”

Loïc Rocard, Chairman and CEO of TechnicAtome, stated: “TechnicAtome designs, assembles, and commissions highly compact nuclear reactors—more than 20 over nearly 50 years. We are proud to bring our engineering expertise and specialized know-how to this exciting project, NUWARDTM.”

The CEA is a public research organization active in the fields of defense and security, energy transition (nuclear and renewable), digital transformation for industry, and cutting-edge health technologies. It draws on excellence in basic research and recognized expertise, with its 20,000 employees and a large number of research units.

A major player in the energy transition, the EDF Group is an integrated energy company active across all sectors: generation, transmission, distribution, trading, energy sales, and energy services. As a global leader in low-carbon energy, the Group has developed a diversified generation mix based on nuclear power, hydropower, new renewable energy sources, and thermal power. The Group supplies energy and services to approximately 39.8 million customers, including 29.7 million in France. In 2018, it generated consolidated revenue of 69 billion euros. EDF is a publicly traded company on the Paris Stock Exchange.

Naval Group is the European leader in naval defense. The group designs, builds, and maintains submarines and surface ships. It also provides services for shipyards and naval bases. Committed to corporate social responsibility, Naval Group is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact. The group has revenue of 3.6 billion euros and employs 14,860 people (2018 figures).

TechnicAtome specializes in the design, construction, commissioning, and operational maintenance of compact nuclear reactors. TechnicAtome employs approximately 1,600 people in the fields of naval propulsion, research, and energy. For 45 years, it has applied its expertise in nuclear engineering to reactors, fuels, and related facilities, offering its customers solutions and products that meet the strictest standards for safety and availability.