South Korea’s Nuclear Safety & Security Commission (NSSC) has been granted standard design approval for the SMART100 small modular reactor (SMR) design. The SMART100 (System-integrated Modular Advanced Reactor 100) is based on the original SMART design, which was the world’s first SMR to receive standard design approval in 2012.
The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) had planned to build a SMART demonstration plant to operate from 2017 but development was stalled by the absence of any orders for an initial reference unit. SMART is designed for electricity generation (up to 100 MWe) and for thermal applications (330 MWt), such as seawater desalination, with a 60-year design life and three-year refuelling cycle. The pressuriser, cooling pump, steam generator and core are placed inside the reactor pressure vessel.
SMART100 offers increased thermal output, up from 330 MW to 365 MW, and electrical output up from 100 MW to 110 MW, significantly improving efficiency while maintaining a compact design. The SMART100 also has enhanced safety features. Improvements include integration of a fully passive safety system capable of maintaining reactor cooling without the need for external power. The use of natural forces such as gravity and fluid density differences ensures safe shutdown and cooling of the reactor in an emergency.
KAERI said the simplified and modular design of SMART100 improves its economic feasibility. Key components such as the steam generator and reactor coolant pumps are integrated into a single vessel, reducing the risk of major accidents like large pipe breaks.
KAERI President Han Gyu Joo said: “The standard design approval for SMART100 is a crucial milestone in demonstrating its proven safety and readiness for commercialisation. We are committed to advancing SMART technology and ensuring its successful export to global markets.”
KAERI, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah City for Atomic & Renewable Energy (KA-CARE) applied for standard design approval of the SMART100 in December 2019 and NSSC began its review of the application in August 2021. “The upgraded model is now ready for global export, particularly to Saudi Arabia, a key partner in the development of this technology,” KAERI noted.
Also under development is the SMART-C, a lighter model intended for the Canadian market, with the same output but half the weight. In addition, the innovative SMR (i-SMR) a next-generation Korean-type SMR aims to receive regulatory approval by 2028.
Researched and written by Judith Perera
