Lessons learning from first of a kind projects and their application to small modular reactors

Abstract

As the technological readiness levels of multiple Small Modular Reactor and Generation IV designs reach deployment maturity and regulatory pre-licensing reviews are completed, the next step in the commercialization of Small Modular Reactor technology is the deployment of a First of a Kind (FOAK) reactor. This is an important milestone in the commercialization process as it provides a proof of concept for the design and reduces the risk of a commercial deployment. However, the design, construction, and commissioning of FOAK projects is not without risk. Our varied experience with large FOAK projects has shown that even with an abundance of caution, failures can be experienced. A summary of lessons learned from Hatch’s involvement in FOAK projects will be reviewed. Emphasis will be placed on best practices and applications to on-going and future Small Modular Reactor / Gen IV reactor FOAK development and deployment.