The SMR position in

With such a range of possible applications in many different parts of the world, a large number of different R D and design projects have been set up. Fig 2.1 lists most of these projects, many of which there are design descriptions in chapter 5, 6 and 7 of this report. Fig 2.2 lists those for which descriptions have been submitted by the design teams to this report and indicates the status of their development. LWRs, HWRs, OCRs and sodium cooled reactors all have active development work in various Member States. Information on other designs can be found in the OECD report on small and medium reactors [3]. 

2 SMR Designs in this TECDOC and their Design Status 

There is thus a gap between the designs available but not built, and their exploitation in what appears to be a potentially large market. 

Small and medium size reactor development has many incentives some are economic others are safety related. The motivation for these developments has included the need to influence public acceptability of nuclear power. The simplicity of reactor designs should improve the transparency of their reactor safety. Another incentive to SMR development has been its suitability for the implementation of new design approaches. Innovative and evolutionary designs with novel features have been implemented in the SMR range. A passive safety approach has so far been the technology of small and medium reactors. Some Member States have been or are interested in SMR developments since TMI and Chernobyl as an answer to utility, as well as public requirements, in particular to saf and public acceptance issues. The economics of nuclear reactors are summarised in y pendix I. SMRs have particular characteristics which can enable them to be economically viable in spite of losing the advantage of the economics of scale. These economic incentives are included in the list below. 

An SMR can be modularised more ea y and constructed in a shorter time than larger plants, thus reducing constructions costs (including interest during construction) and generating earlier revenues. 

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