R. L. Black Consultant, USA

11.1 Introduction

The licensing and deployment of any small modular reactor (SMR) is dependent on whether (a) there is a significant market demand for new nuclear power, (b) SMR technology can be developed in a timely manner to meet the demand, and (c) the SMR technology can be licensed effectively. As described in this Handbook, enhanced safety, improved security, and flexibility in siting and application are all factors that have created a market demand. Assuming a market demand for SMRs and an ability to finance, licensing becomes the next risk factor. Effective licensing is dependent, in part, on the maturity of the SMR technology. New and unproven nuclear technologies might present a challenge to effective licensing. Accordingly, near-term licensing and deployment of SMRs is focused on the proven light-water reactor (LWR) technology.

The commercial deployment of SMRs will be a global enterprise. Vendors will apply for licensing approval of their designs in the country of design origin (i. e., where the vendor is located). The approved SMR design will then be manufactured largely in the country of origin, marketed globally, and licensed for operation in the country of deployment. Various degrees of and requirements for local content for SMR systems and components might present a challenge to regulatory authorities to make sure that these safety systems and components meet the safety intent of the SMR design. The licensing/regulatory authority must be able to license and regulate SMRs in a manner that reasonably assures all safety, environmental, regulatory, and policy issues are addressed and resolved, particularly in the post-Fukushima environment. Importantly, the licensing authority must be able to assess the enhanced safety characteristics of SMR designs to support approval or certification of these advanced reactor technologies and their subsequent licensing. Enhanced safety designs and the associated significantly reduced risk to the public afford the licensing authority an ability to license SMR designs based on risk and safety assessments that support the designs.

Several countries have begun regulatory reviews of SMR designs. This chapter will discuss several approaches for SMR licensing that are permitted by the US regulatory process promulgated in new licensing procedures of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This discussion is provided to the extent that they might be relevant to SMR licensing in other countries. In addition, this chapter discusses how several key SMR generic licensing issues were addressed and resolved by the NRC

Handbook of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors. http://dx. doi. Org/10.1533/9780857098535.3.279

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as an example to highlight how these safety and policy issues can be addressed by other regulatory authorities. The effective licensing of SMRs as a global enterprise will be aided by international collaborations and assistance. These collaborations, both by industry and regulatory authorities, will provide a strategy and framework to assist in the safe and effective licensing of SMRs for worldwide deployment.