Institution news
As the power generation industry looks at greater innovations in nuclear design, such as Small Modular Reactors, the Institution’s Advanced Nuclear Reactor Design online seminar is well timed to showcase the state-of-the-art in advanced and small modular reactors to achieve net zero emissions and more efficient production.
Q: Please could you briefly explain your role, involvement and experience with regards to nuclear new build and design.
Mike Drury (MD): I am the Director responsible for Advanced Nuclear Technology. This requires delivery of all projects relating to Large scale GW reactors, Small Modular Gen III+ reactors (SMR) and Gen IV Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR). In delivery of these areas I get to be involved first-hand in the support to development of new reactors and technical underpinning, regulatory processes, technology maturity and road mapping needed to get from a concept stage through to commercial operation of reactors.
I’ve been involved in nuclear newbuild since 2008 first on Fusion at ITER and then on fission with EDF at HPC, and later SMRs since 2012, Micro nuclear reactor markets and AMRs since 2016. This has focussed on economics and technical assessments as well as policy development and R&D development for a multitude of reactor types.
Q: What are the main barriers to nuclear power playing a bigger part in the current energy mix?
MD: It depends…technology is always a barrier and in Nuclear can require significant developmental costs. With this in mind, a market needs to be confirmed and set that will enable nuclear to be developed and early adopters to invest. For this investment to occur UK policy needs to support Nuclear development and indicate size and scale of market to give confidence to developers that a market will be secured/open.
Q: How important is getting nuclear new build design right in order to achieve net-zero?
MD: Extremely important. The challenge of meeting net zero is not possible with a single technology. All technologies for power are required, not only to produce enough electricity for todays demand but also the electricity and heat required in the future demand of 2050.
Achieving Nuclear is a vital part of the energy mix needed and not only for baseload electricity. Associated technology development alongside nuclear will be required to meet net zero, such as hydrogen development, coupling technologies to nuclear, energy eco cities bringing flexibility to power that is integrated between renewables and nuclear. Getting newbuild right is important as without this capability meeting net zero by 2050 is at risk.
Q: Regarding new build design methods, what would you say are the ones to watch for the future?
MD: To name but a few: Agile project management methodology progressed into Nuclear delivery projects, factory style assembly and construction techniques, modularisation, regulation within factory environment for nuclear, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion approaches within entire programmes.
Q: Why is it important for engineers to join this year’s Advanced Reactor Design event?
MD: The event will give a good oversight of what is the latest thinking and development of Advanced Nuclear Technologies, looking at what is going on today and what the future opportunities will be of tomorrow. Where there is scope for career development and the types of activities that will see an increase in demand for capability and capacity.
If you are interested in Small Modular reactors, Advanced modular reactors and understanding what the market movement is today, then you should attend the event to see how and where you can get involved. Meeting net zero is important, if you want to help reach this goal, then this is an opportunity to find out how you can contribute.
Nuclear Innovation: Advanced Nuclear Reactor Design takes place as an online live seminar on 18 November 2020.
Featuring input from the foremost researchers and operators, together with the industry regulator, join us to hear about the emerging and developing reactor technologies, including molten salt, uranium and fusion. Additionally, improvements to more conventional pressurised water reactors will be explored, enabling nuclear power to take its place in the low-carbon energy mix.
For full event details and to register to attend, visit the event website.