The Shaw Group Inc. has been awarded a contract to provide engineering support services for a new 140MW small modular nuclear power reactor being developed by SMR LLC, a subsidiary of US-based Holtec International.

The Holtec Inherently Safe Modular Underground Reactor, dubbed HI-SMUR, is ‘passive in every aspect of its operation,’ according to Holtec. The reactor, which will be located underground is operated by gravity induced flow and does not rely on external power for shutdown. It is expected to take just 24 months to build a single HI-SMUR unit.

Holtec aims to file a design license application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by the end of 2012, according to a February statement from SMR LLC.

Currently, detailed design, analysis and licensing activities are underway. For its part, Shaw will develop the conceptual design of the balance of plant and support systems to advance the HI-SMUR toward eventual commercial application. Shaw also will prepare an overall design basis, support licensing activities and evaluate plant layouts and optimization of plant output.

“Shaw is poised to serve this dynamic industry with our expertise in multiple areas, including detailed design, procurement, construction, startup and commissioning, and now as an industry architect-engineer for a small modular reactor programme,” said J.M. Bernhard Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer of Shaw.

He added: “Shaw’s capability to fabricate power plant modules will be especially important to the implementation programme for small modular reactors.”

The value of the contract has not been disclosed.

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The Russian initiatives propose supplementing the existing conventions and the International Atomic Energy Agency with a number of provisions stipulating:


- Responsibility of the state for providing a timely and adequate response to an accident in order to minimise its impact;


- The adoption of regulations for coordination and cooperation between the state, the operating organisation and the supervisory agency in accident management to reduce its impact;


- The responsibility of the states using nuclear energy to ensure the level of nuclear safety is not below the level corresponding to the IAEA standards, and the existence of action plans in each country for emergencies related to the operation of nuclear power stations;


- The requirement for the countries intending to build nuclear power facilities to establish infrastructure in accordance with IAEA recommendations and with the participation of the supplier of the nuclear plant equipment.


- Additional requirements to be included in the regulations on nuclear power plant construction in seismic zones and in areas with a high risk of natural disasters, taking into account their possible compound effect.


- Depending on the severity of an accident on the IAEA scale, regulations regarding the information to be provided about the accident.