LIGHT-WATER SMALL MODULAR REACTORs (SMR)
A Solution For Clean & Affordable Energy For The UK
Jamie Scimeca (jls034@student.bham.ac.uk) & Xiang Fei Heah (xfh201@student.bham.ac.uk) from theUniversity of Birmingham.

KEY SDGs: 7,11,12 & 13

SMRs aim to produce clean and affordable energy to cities and communities via
responsible consumption of natural resources to help tackle climate change in the UK.

THE CHALLENGE

Fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource. They are the major source of energy production
globally. The negative externalities of them are:1.
2.
3.
4.

Environmental: Extracting fossil fuels destroys ecosystems and the natural landscape.
Weather: The disrupted carbon cycle has increased the likelihood and severity ofweather events.
Air Quality: CO2, SO2, N2O, and CH4 released from burning fossil fuels kill 8.7 million
people a year.
Security: Conflict over fossil fuels continues today, with many countries being exploitedfor their fossil fuels.
Fuel

Amount ofFuel (kg)

Usable Energy
Produced (kWh)Gas

115Coal18Oil

112Uranium

1

24,000,000

Table 1 – Fossil Fuel & Uranium Energy Density[euronuclear.org].

Why are fossil fuels so important?
They power the world. 64.2% of the world’s
energy consumption is still generated byburning fossil fuels. This shows theirimportance, but it is unsustainable andbecoming increasingly unstable. Table 1
shows the relative energy density of fuels
available. It shows that Uranium is very
energy dense so this could replace fossil
fuels if the right solution were available.

Figure 1 shows that since 2004 the UK has been anet importer of electricity. The country is at thewill of market forces. The war in Ukraine shows
how countries can be manipulated by energy giants
such as Russia. The UK has become dependent
on other countries for energy, leading to a cost-ofliving crisis driven by increased energy costs. It
has also meant dirtier fossil fuels such as coal havebeen burnt to compensate which sets back net
zero ambitions. Our proposal would remove thedependence on fossil fuels and set an example of
how the rest of the world can achieve net zeroemissions as soon as possible.

Figure 1 – UK Energy Imports/ Exports [BBC.co.uk].

The solution to fossil fuels should be an energy source that is currently available,sustainable, clean and affordable.

Also, some SMRs canproduce hydrogen toproduce hydrogen fuel!

THE SOLUTION
Our solution is to deploy light-water SMRs
across the UK to provide a clean majority baseload of electricity coupled with otherrenewables such as wind, solar, and tidal
making the UK’s energy production entirely
sustainable. We can bring clean electricity topeople's homes, allowing the UK to deploy
more low-carbon energy and ensure greaterenergy independence. In addition, the cost ofelectricity will steadily decrease over time
due to the ability to factory produce the SMRs.
The maintenance costs are low and only asmall amount of uranium will need to be mined
to produce the fuel.
Mined uranium can be reused after treatment
to extract further energy creating a circular
economy. In addition, water is an available,renewable, and cheap resource. The safety ofSMRs is far greater than traditional nuclear
power plants as they are much smaller can beregulated easily and are almost impossible tomelt down. They offer a feasible and scalable
solution of an existing technology that can fightclimate change whilst allowing countries tocontinue to develop.

What is an SMR?
Light-water SMRs extract heat from nuclear
materials during nuclear fission reactions. It ismoderated by light water, simply H2O, to cooland control the reaction.
SMRs are modular, which means they can be
combined to meet different power
requirements. They utilise the tried and testedmeans of electricity production of a traditional
nuclear power plant whilst being smaller,
cheaper and safer than their larger
counterparts. Figure 2 shows a diagram of theprocess that is currently in the UK regulatory
approval stages.

Figure 2 – Rolls Royce SMR Diagram [rollsroyce-smr.com].

WHY SMRs FOR THE UK?
As with all nuclear power plants, SMRs don’t emit
greenhouse gases and they support global
efforts to reach net zero emissions.
Figure 3 shows the UK has been negatively affectedby recent instability in energy prices, leading to a
cost-of-living crisis. The UK regulator is in the final
stages of approval for light-water SMRs, so it isuniquely placed to test the concept. The government
has committed £210 million to develop SMRs in theUK.

Figure 3 – Energy Price Increases [BBC.co.uk].

UK inflation reached 11.1% in 2022,
this is significantly above the Bank ofEngland target of 2%[bankofengland.co.uk].

Replacing all fossil fuel plants in the UK with SMRs
would offer energy independence meaning stability
in energy prices and affordability. SMRs produce
zero greenhouse gas emissions, with a small
amount of waste produced that can be safely storedin underground repositories. They are cheaper than
traditional nuclear reactors and operate at lower
pressure which makes them much safer. These takeup much less area per megawatt of electricity thanrenewables such as wind and solar. SMRs create
more job opportunities for people, which is vital todecarbonise our economy. They can be set up
almost anywhere with relative ease.

IMPLEMENTATION AND SCALABILITY
Deploying SMRs across the UK will be easy as they can be produced in a factory style. They can beproduced on demand to serve areas that are ready. They require a large initial financial backing
however the costs are far reduced per megawatt in comparison to traditional nuclear reactors and willcontinue to reduce over time due to economies of scale. This is a scalable idea for the UK and sets
the standard for the rest of the world to follow. This solution could be implemented in other countries,once proven in the UK, as the UK can invest in creating the technology which can then be sold toother countries without them having to pay the initial research and development costs and they canreap the benefits of economies of scale.
SMRs will rapidly help the UK expand nuclear power and deliver cheaper, cleaner and more secureenergy for families, create well-paid and high-skilled jobs and grow the economy in the UK. There
are several initiatives already to deploy SMRs, such as partnerships with the UK government andcountries around the world, which will be beneficial for the investment and research for SMRs.

Feasibilityqqq

Rolls Royce estimated that each SMR could power 1 million homes this is equivalent to a city
the size of Leeds.
The nuclear sector in Spain has an installed capacity of 7,700 MW which generated almost twice
as much electricity as wind power.
More affordable than traditional nuclear power whilst also being smaller and modular.

Challenges
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Regulatory Approval: Approval from national and international authorities is required. Thus,
regulators, governments and businesses need to work closely to provide the benefits of SMRs.
Public Opinion: Nuclear energy has a negative stigma. A lot has been learnt from past
incidents and is a well-regulated industry which can not be said of the fossil fuel industry. Public
opinion is changing and SMRs will help this further.
Economical Factors: High capital investment and land acquisition is needed. This investment
is expensive however sites are much smaller than that of traditional nuclear or solar farms. The
research and development costs are expensive, but they have very low running costs.
Skilled Workers: Need professional and experienced engineers and workers to ensure thesafety, and performance of SMRs. This means that the workforce can be trained in higher skilledjobs for greater pay.
Nuclear Waste: Waste will be produced and needs to be disposed of. This can be safely
deposited in underground repositories and sealed away indefinitely.

Electricity Demand and Air Pollution Related to SDGs

Creating andbringing cleaner,and cheaperenergy.

Increasing access toelectricity allows cities
to have more control
over their energy
supply.

Environmental
benefits such as
decreased land use
and resource
waste.

Reducinggreenhouse gas
emissions toachieve net zerotarget.

Acknowledgements: Professor Paul Norman and Professor Julia Myatt.
References:
1- https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/what-are-small-modular-reactors-smrs
2 - https://www.rolls-royce-smr.com
3 - Fossil fuels, renewables and nuclear: The UK's changing energy mix - BBC News
4 - What will global energy demand look like in 2040? - Context Magazine by CAPP
5 - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-ten-point-plan-for-a-green-industrial-revolution