en.Wedoany.com Reported - Wedoany News, June 17 – Applied Atomics announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with BWX Technologies (BWXT) for the mPower™ small modular reactor (SMR) technology. Under the agreement, Applied Atomics will hold exclusive commercial development and deployment rights for the use of mPower technology in land-based nuclear facilities in the United States, Canada, and other regions. BWXT retains the intellectual property rights for mPower technology and exclusive manufacturing rights for all components, and will collect royalties on components manufactured by third parties. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The mPower is designed as an integral pressurized water reactor, manufactured in a factory and transported to the site via conventional means. It has a designed electrical output of 195 megawatts and a thermal power of 575 megawatts. The reactor features an integral steam generator design, eliminating the primary coolant pipes found in traditional nuclear power plants by integrating all major components within a single vessel, aiming to eliminate the loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA), a key failure mode of conventional reactors. The reactor uses standard low-enriched uranium fuel with a refueling cycle of at least two years.
Kelly, CEO and co-founder of Applied Atomics, stated that BWXT spent a decade designing the mPower, and the company's mission is to complete its development and deploy the first optimized, vertically integrated SMR power plant.
This agreement comes at a time when U.S. electricity demand is expected to grow at the fastest pace in a generation, with industry analysts estimating that the U.S. will need over 300 gigawatts of new power capacity by 2035. In addition to utility companies, the mPower is also suitable for industrial and technology power customers.
The mPower project was suspended in 2017, with BWXT retaining the relevant engineering archives and test facilities. BWXT stated that the selection of Applied Atomics was based on a comprehensive evaluation of multiple criteria, including capital commitment, financing capability, deployment intent, alignment with nuclear safety culture, market positioning, and the founder's commercialization track record.
Under the agreement, Applied Atomics will re-engage with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to resume mPower design certification activities and develop site-specific engineering plans for initial commercial deployment, with technical support from BWXT as the licensing approval process progresses.
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