Westinghouse Electric Co. and CORE POWER said the companies have formalized a deal for the design and development of a floating nuclear power plant (FNPP) using the Westinghouse eVinci microreactor. The companies on Nov. 25 called the floating facilities “a game-changing approach to deploying nuclear energy to islands, ports, coastal communities and industry.”
“There’s no net-zero without nuclear. A long series of identical turnkey power plants using multiple installations of the Westinghouse eVinci microreactor delivered by sea, creates a real opportunity to scale nuclear as the perfect solution to meet the rapidly growing demand for clean, flexible and reliable electricity delivered on time and on budget,” said Mikal Bøe, CEO of CORE POWER, which has offices in London in the UK, Washington, D.C., and Tokyo, Japan. “Our unique partnership with Westinghouse is a game changer for how customers buy nuclear energy.”
The companies said the power plants can be centrally manufactured and then delivered to their operational sites, and noted that “as a highly transportable source of cost-competitive, reliable nuclear power, the eVinci microreactor is perfectly suited to FNPPs.” The eVinci microreactor can operate for eight years at full power before refueling.
Westinghouse and CORE POWER said the agreement calls for advancing the design of a FNPP using the eVinci microreactor and its heat pipe technology. Officials said the heat pipe technology is based on more than 60 years of proven use, and “improves reliability while providing a simple, non-pressurized method of passively transferring heat.”
Heat pipes in the eVinci microreactor transfer heat from the nuclear core to a power conversion system, eliminating the need for water cooling and the associated recirculation systems. The companies also will collaborate to develop a regulatory approach to licensing FNPP systems.
“With this groundbreaking agreement, we will demonstrate the viability of the eVinci technology for innovative use cases where power is needed in remote locations or in areas with land limitations,” said Jon Ball, president of eVinci Technologies at Westinghouse. “We look forward to our partnership with CORE POWER, bringing the unique advantages of eVinci microreactors to maritime and coastal applications, potentially even paving the way for future disaster relief efforts.”
The eVinci microreactor has been developed for several applications, including to provide electricity and heating for remote communities, universities and other campuses, mining operations, industrial centers, data centers, and defense facilities. Westinghouse last year secured its first customer for the technology, with a deal to supply a 5-MWe system to the Saskatchewan Research Council in Canada.
The eVinci microreactor has few moving parts, according to Westinghouse, and essentially works as a battery, providing the versatility for power systems ranging from several kilowatts to 5 MW of electricity. It can deliver 24/7 electricity, and also xan produce high temperature heat suitable for industrial applications, including alternative fuel production such as hydrogen. It also has the flexibility to balance renewable energy output. The technology is factory-built, and also assembled, before it is shipped in a container.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).
