Overview
Holtec International avows its commitment to the Canadian SMR Action Plan Statement of Principles.
Holtec International is a privately-owned American company with no long-term debt, and with a business backlog today in excess of $6B USD. A vertically integrated technology company, Holtec designs and licenses nuclear and power plant components and modules for clients around the world, fabricating nearly all that equipment in purpose-built and tooled factories in North America with thousands of engineering and manufacturing employees.
SMR-160 is a 160MWe small modular reactor, designed for use in domestic and global markets for safe, carbon-free power generation. The primary application of SMR-160 is electricity production with optional cogeneration equipment for hydrogen generation, district and industrial heating, or seawater desalination. With engineered safety features making it orders of magnitude safer than the current generation of nuclear power plants, the design is readily configurable for siting in water scarce locations using Holtec’s air-cooled condenser technology. SMR-160 is capable of both black start and island-mode operation, rendering the plant ideal for destinations with small or off-grid applications, and for grids with increasing variable renewable penetration and energy resiliency needs. By employing an advanced Plant Control System (PCS) with on-line procedures, on-line monitoring, and limiting the number of safety systems in the design, operations and maintenance staffing levels and costs are substantially reduced compared to existing nuclear power plants.
Partnered with Canada’s premier nuclear architect engineer SNC-Lavalin, we are developing the SMR-160 small modular reactor for Canadian and global markets. Working with partners in Canada, SMR-160 has the potential to not only repower retired coal plants in Canada’s provinces through proven partnerships with Canadian suppliers, but to enable a massive SMR export market as envisioned by the Canadian SMR Roadmap.
Whether via SMR-160 deployments or in supporting supply chain roles, Holtec international is confident that its design and manufacturing skills and resources can enhance Canada’s plans to develop and deploy SMR technologies both domestically and for export markets in the current decade and beyond. SMR-160 is designed for factory module fabrication within a vertically integrated design-for-manufacturing process and presents an ideal opportunity for localized manufacturing within Canada – an aspiration we are keen to achieve.
We are motivated by the extraordinary SMR global market we see, through our research and business development actions, and through insights and discussions we have with nuclear power clients around the world, in North America, Europe and the UK, Asia, Africa and South America. We humbly submit that our international presence and performance for nuclear product and project delivery makes us an excellent choice of partner for Team Canada, to seize export market potential where our footprint and reputation is strong and established.
Aspiring to help Team Canada engage with international partners for SMR export opportunities, we note that Holtec has licensed its technologies with nuclear regulators in fifteen different countries, with projects that follow similar environmental and nuclear licensing processes and requirements as Canada and for SMRs. Holtec has extensive international experience with environmental permitting, preparation of PSARs for construction permits, and preparation of FSARs for operating licenses, and is flexible in adapting to foreign country-specific requirements, codes and standards. Existing clients have come to respect Holtec’s licensing capabilities and express confidence the Company’s track record of success, capabilities we are enthused to share in Canada for SMR-160 deployments and exports.
Seeking opportunities to integrate SMRs with other clean energy sources, we are developing the ZynthTM Battery Energy Storage System, a unique and innovative clean energy storage product to provide storage capacity for grid regularization and peak-shifting for other renewables (solar and wind), or combined with SMRs for hybrid energy systems. With simple manufacturing processes compared to Li-ion, ZynthTM uses readily available materials with few supply/availably constraints at mass production. SMR-160 can provide clean baseload to help enable Canada’s low-carbon future. The ZynthTM BESS is an ideal match for SMR or hybrid energy solutions – both technologies offer Team Canada potential for regional manufacturing facilities to help achieve Roadmap objectives.
Working with partners in Canada, the United States, the UK, Ukraine and India, we continue to press ahead with SMR-160, confident its extraordinary safety, economics and practical design for licensing and manufacturing make it an ideal fit and opportunity for Canada and within its SMR Roadmap and Action Plan. The design is maturing toward detailed design completion and would benefit significantly with further involvement and support from the Canadian government and Canada’s rich and strong nuclear human resource bench and research institutions.
Holtec has worked closely with Ontario Power Generation and Canadian suppliers to ensure that our SMR-160 meets or exceeds technical and commercial requirements and timelines for deployment in Canada in this current decade. We have produced an extensive due diligence package for potential clients in Canada and the US as we push forward to deploy to complete and license our product in Canada with the CNSC and in the US with the USNRC. We are heavily engaged with Energoatom in Ukraine, having signed an MoU for six SMR-160s at the Rivne NPP, and work closely with the Ukrainian regulator as they assess the SMR-160 safety basis.
Actions
DEMONSTRATION AND DEPLOYMENT
Initiatives to reduce SMR capital costs
STATUS: IN PROGRESS
HO01
Responds to SMR Roadmap recommendation(s): 38
ACTION
Working with Kiewit, the SMR-160 design team is continually examining manufacturing and construction methods to evaluate the time and cost of construction of the plant, to ensure the plant is both cost-effective to procure and practical to construct. Value engineering assessments performed to date include consideration of construction methods by use of Holtec METCON steel concrete modules. Fabrication specifications have been examined to evaluate the site assembly and construction costs of fabricated components and modules, considering the module boundaries and interfaces to evaluate field handling, final fabrication and fit up methods, as impacts quality, construction time and overall cost. To ensure that SMR-160 capital equipment acquisition costs are competitive, the Company has invested heavily in new, world-class machinery at its Advanced Manufacturing Division manufacturing facility in Camden, NJ, with cloud-based manufacturing management and quality assurance infrastructure, shop traveler controls, and remote inspection methods. These modernization efforts that have proved successful in ensuring quality and workmanship and have led to a steady reduction in the required labor hours to build components in the Holtec’s standard product lines, with total reductions over the past several years at approximately 35%. These measures will be leveraged in the SMR-160 program.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Expectations include driving cost out the SMR-160 such that the Nth of a Kind plant achieves target cost goals to allow the plant to compete with fossil fuel power generation.
DEMONSTRATION AND DEPLOYMENT
Engagement with the regulator and Strategic partnerships and business models
STATUS: IN PROGRESS
HO02
Responds to SMR Roadmap recommendation(s): 44, 46, 47
ACTION
Holtec has completed Phase-1 of the CNSC VDR-1 review and has initiated the following Phase-2. Our strategic business plan recognizes the value of establishing the licensing basis for SMR-160 in Canada, believing that licensing basis will find broad acceptance of SMR-160 in global markets, given CNSC’s recognition as a world-class nuclear regulator and safety advocate.
Working with partner SNC-Lavalin, Holtec endeavors to continue work with OPG for down select for a first commercial SMR-160 at Darlington NPP by the late 2020s. Having completed the CNSC VDR-1 review, we are proceeding with VDR-2 to support OPG’s aggressive timeline.
We aspire to achieve down select and to cost-share with the Canadian federal and provincial governments to complete SMR-160 development as needed for near-term deployment at DNPP. With nearly $400m USD invested in SMR-160 to date, Holtec has the financial strength and commitment to continue the investments needed – in partnership with Canada – to complete the 1st design and deployment, and to further seek to localize manufacturing for subsequent plant modules for provincial SMR-160s and global exports opportunities for a resurgent Canadian nuclear eco-system.
EXPECTED RESULTS
A 1st SMR-160 at Darlington NPP before 2030, to be co-developed via a cost-share arrangement in Canada.
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND MARKETS
International enabling frameworks
STATUS: IN PROGRESS
HO03
Responds to SMR Roadmap recommendation(s): 42, 47
ACTION
In order to achieve broad acceptance and specifically to achieve fleet deployment and economics, a first SMR-160 plant is necessary to confirm the plant’s safety, cost and operating basis. Our supply chain relationships are critical to the first plant, and specifically our A/E and EPC partners SNC-Lavalin and Kiewit Power Constructors.
For SMR-160 to gain access to international markets, clients and regulators must have confidence that the addresses both international and State requirements, regulations, acceptance criteria and normative standards for nuclear, environmental and societal goals and acceptance. Key international clients have confirmed their expectations for a 1st reference plant, to facilitate proof for moving forward with subsequent SMR-160 commercial projects.
Holtec International is working with prospective clients in the UK, Western Europe, Ukraine, India, the GCC and South America – clients who have expressed real, certain interest in SMR-160 development and investments, to support investigations and feasibility assessments.
With an MoU to build six SMR-160s in Ukraine for Energoatom, and with significant developments underway in Brazil, the UK and the GCC.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Certain progress with State energy ministries and regulators, to establish understandings how SMR-160 meets or exceeds national safety criteria, normative standards and codes, as needed to ensure SMR-160 can be deployed in the country or region.
SMR-160 commercial projects in Ukraine by the early 2030s to replace soon-to-be-retired VVER 440s.
CAPACITY, ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
Promoting Diversity in the future SMR workforce
STATUS: IN PROGRESS
HO04
Responds to SMR Roadmap recommendation(s): 39
ACTION
Based on the experience of our partners we believe that we have the team to deliver the first grid scale SMR to Ontario, to utilize insights from SNCL/Candu to successfully navigate the Canadian Regulatory framework and with significant International I&C support from MELCO. Holtec is committed to provide opportunities for local and indigenous people in the communities we are honored to serve and support.
We have diverse operator insights from international partners in the US (Exelon), Ukraine (Energoatom), and CA (OPG). Our SNC-L partnership promotes access to experienced suppliers close to the host communities.
Specifically, in Canada, SNCL provides a connection as members and suppliers of the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Businesses (CCAB). Based on SNCL’s involvement with Indigenous communities, they’ve received the Progressive Aboriginal Relationship (PAR) certificate. SNC-Lavalin is a Board member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) that was formerly, the Aboriginal Human Resource Council. We have responsibility for the following:
- building local capacity, opportunities and wealth
- training an Aboriginal workforce
- developing Aboriginal owned businesses
- respecting their role as stewards of the land very seriously
SNC-Lavalin has recently joined the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) program, recognizing the importance of Indigenous inclusion throughout the nuclear industry, and committed at the corporate level, to ensure that all areas of the organization embrace the same culture of promoting diversity and inclusion.
EXPECTED RESULTS
A diverse workforce in a growing and secure nuclear industry, with equal opportunity for all, one that recognizes contributions from women, youth, minorities, and Indigenous people
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND MARKETS
Waste Management
STATUS: UPCOMING
HO05
Responds to SMR Roadmap recommendation(s): 45
ACTION
Holtec is amongst the largest spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste storage and transportation technology companies in the world. Our products and global project insights can be useful in helping Canada’s Radioactive Waste Leadership Forum and NWMO evaluate issues and opportunities to plan and deploy solutions that best match future Canadian SMR and societal needs for the safe management and storage of spent nuclear fuel and waste from SMRs. Holtec has broad experience designing and delivering large and central spent nuclear fuel storage facilities, and developing and manufacturing equipment to safely handle, transport and store those materials. That experience can be useful to Team Canada and SMR developers as they develop their designs to meet Canada’s needs. Integrating these technology ‘standards’ into SMR designs can and positive and meaningful safety, cost and environmental impacts for Canada
EXPECTED RESULTS
Begin a dialogue with the Radioactive Waste Leadership Forum and NWMO as soon as practical.