能源技術Business News

In Poland, there is a great interest in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). According to the Polish Economic Institute, about 100 of them may be built in Poland. The first SMR is likely to become operational early in the next decade.

SMRs are defined as nuclear reactors generally 300 MWe equivalent or less, designed with modular technology using module factory fabrication, pursuing economies of series production and short construction times.

"Where large nuclear power plants cannot be located due to objective environmental requirements, SMRs will be allowed to operate and will produce not only electricity, but also heat," said Szczepan Ruman, president of the Swietokrzyskie Industrial Group Industria, which last year established a partnership in this area with Rolls-Royce SMR.

Energy needs will grow for two reasons. First, about 70% of Poland's energy is still produced from coal, and this is what is to be decarbonized. Second, transportation and industry are also to be decarbonized. When we have electric or hydrogen cars, industry will use green hydrogen produced from electricity. This means that this electricity is needed a lot. Therefore, big nuclear will, in my opinion, experience a renaissance, he added. 

SMRs are widely considered to be the technology of the future, as they have the potential to replace conventional power generation. More than a dozen countries from around the world are investing in SMRs. One of their main advantages is that they are a safe source of clean energy. Meanwhile, costs and construction time are much lower than for traditional nuclear power. They can also be built in a wider range of locations and their flexibility provides ample opportunity to tailor the design to the investor's needs.

Key players currently developing SMR projects include US-based NuScale, Europe's Nuward and Rolls-Royce SMR, which began work on its 470 MWe UK SMR reactor as early as 2015.

Source: https://magazynprzemyslowy.pl/artykuly/w-polsce-ma-powstac-okolo-setki-modulowych-reaktorow-jadrowych