UK-based Rolls-Royce and Turkey’s EUAS International Incorporated Cell Company (EUAS ICC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to carry out a study to evaluate the technical, economical and legal applicability; and also the possibility of joint production of small modular reactors (SMRs) to underpin clean economic growth.
Rolls-Royce signed as a member of a consortium designing an SMR power station. The consortium includes Assystem, Atkins, BAM Nuttall, Laing O’Rourke, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), Rolls-Royce, Jacobs (formerly Wood), The Welding Institute (TWI) and Nuclear AMRC.
The MOU commits to a study that will look at the technical, licensing, commercial and investment cases for the deployment of the consortium’s power station; potential construction processes; and market potential in Turkey and elsewhere.
“Our power station is affordable, fast to deploy and is an attractive investment that will stimulate tens of thousands of jobs regionally and embed prosperity and quality of life for decades to come," said David Orr, consortium director, Rolls-Royce.
"Turkey’s domestic and regional nuclear power opportunities are incredibly exciting, and we look forward to exploring how our consortium’s power station will support its energy, economic and industrial ambitions,” he added.
Yahya Yilmaz Bayraktarli, CEO of EUAS ICC said the company's vision is to diversify electricity resources with nuclear power.
"We aim to develop a sustainable nuclear industry, which contributes to economic growth and social wealth of the country. Turkey already develops nuclear power plants of larger scale with its international partners. The feasibility of small modular reactors is a research and development issue we continuously monitor.”
Rolls-Royce said components for the compact power station will be manufactured in standardised sections in factories, before being transported to sites for rapid assembly inside a weatherproof canopy. This results in lower upfront costs, and a faster, predictable construction and commissioning periods.
Collaboration between Turkey’s energy sector and Rolls-Royce began in 2013 when a joint supply chain study was undertaken with Turkey's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and Istanbul Technical University. This new agreement will see phased collaboration during the next two years.
The UK SMR designed by Rolls-Royce and its consortium partners is a small pressurised water reactor with an operating life of 60 years, which will provide 400–450MWe. It is fully modularised to enable transportation by road, rail or sea. The planned 500-day modular build. The target cost for each station is around £1.8 billion ($2.1 billion) assuming five are built, with further savings possible.
Photo: Small modular reactor (Credit: Rolls-Royce)