Steady Energy’s SMR received first preliminary regulator evaluation – concept can be developed to meet Finnish nuclear safety requirements
The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) has completed the preliminary assessment of Steady Energy's LDR-50 small nuclear reactor. The assessment is positive, and Steady Energy will continue the development of the design based on the feedback.
The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) has completed an assessment of the concept of the Finnish Steady Energy LDR-50 nuclear power plant. According to the estimate, the plant's key design solutions can be designed to meet the requirements. The concept assessment is a procedure that has been proposed for the reformed Nuclear Energy Act. In it, the authority examines the prerequisites for designing and building a safe nuclear power plant. According to the current law, it is not required, but at the request of Steady Energy, STUK launched an assessment at the end of last year that corresponds as much as possible to the practice in accordance with future regulations.
"We hoped for and received invaluable information from the evaluation to support our work. In addition, the assessment reinforces our belief that we are on the right path in terms of both technology and organizational development," says Juho Vierimaa, Head of Licensing and Quality
STUK assessed several technical and safety areas and arrangements, as well as Steady Energy Oy as the future plant supplier. The assessment did not identify any factors that would prevent the LDR-50 plant from meeting Finnish nuclear safety requirements. This is also the case when evaluating Steady Energy Oy: even though it is a young company, it has credible plans for the development of its organization and quality systems.
"The result of the concept assessment supports our view of the development schedule of the LDR-50 nuclear power plant and confirms our previous view of the implementation schedule of the LDR-50 plants in Finland. We will continue to work closely with STUK," says Tommi Nyman, CEO of Steady Energy.
In accordance with the recommendation of the assessment, Steady Energy will demonstrate the operation of key safety features in a full-size pilot plant to be built inside the former coal-fired power plant of the energy company Helen in Salmisaari, Helsinki. The next step in the regulatory assessment is the international assessment of the facility, in which regulators from different countries work together and utilise the work already done by STUK.