en.Wedoany.com Reported - Core Power has initiated a study to assess the feasibility of deploying the long-suspended BWXT mPower small modular reactor in a floating nuclear power plant, covering ship integration, regulatory pathways, and economic analysis. Meanwhile, Applied Atomics has obtained a license for land-based deployment of mPower, advancing the technology's commercialization restart.
The mPower small reactor is an integrated pressurized water reactor design with an electrical output of 195 MWe and a thermal output of 575 MWt. The feasibility study will encompass basic information exchange, systems engineering, concept of operations development, product requirements definition, regulatory pathway assessment, ship integration studies, and techno-economic analysis.
The floating nuclear power plant is designed to be constructed in a shipyard and then transported to locations near end-users or areas with high demand. Core Power stated that by shifting construction to a controlled industrial environment, this design is expected to reduce delivery risks, improve repeatability, and provide reliable power to regions constrained by grid capacity, land availability, or lengthy civil planning or infrastructure construction cycles.
This initial assessment is funded by Core Power and aims to inform future decisions on engineering scope, regulatory engagement, commercial architecture, and potential next steps.
Core Power CEO Mikal Bøe stated that this assessment of mPower technology is a significant step in the company's strategy to accelerate the design of fully modular floating nuclear power plants. Electricity demand is rapidly outstripping supply. Markets that need reliable power cannot wait for traditional infrastructure construction timelines. The United States has the nuclear expertise, industrial base, and maritime heritage needed to lead this market. Core Power's role is to integrate these strengths and accelerate the transition from technology to product.
Speaking at the Accelerating Nuclear Power Generation and Shipping Applications conference in London, he noted that the goal is to present the floating nuclear power plant design to Core Power's first customers, including utilities, ports, industrial manufacturers, data centers, and the military, for them to evaluate the design's suitability for specific sites, as well as the infrastructure needed to connect to the land grid, local permitting, operations, and contract pricing models. If all goes well, this will move into the contracting phase and solidify Core Power's position as the leading floating nuclear power plant supplier in the OECD.
He described it as an Airbus-style industrial model, where key components are supplied by specialized manufacturers, and stated that Core Power will announce a series of significant partnerships in the coming months. He mentioned that work on designing training programs for future operators has already begun, and site selection at U.S. shipyards is accelerating.
Meanwhile, in a separate announcement, Applied Atomics announced it has entered into a licensing agreement with BWX Technologies. Under this agreement, Applied Atomics will have exclusive rights to commercially develop and deploy mPower for land-based nuclear facilities in the United States, Canada, and other regions. BWXT retains the intellectual property for mPower and will have exclusive manufacturing rights for all mPower components, as well as royalty rights from any components manufactured by Applied Atomics or other third parties.
Applied Atomics stated that BWXT retained its engineering archives and test facilities after the mPower project was suspended in 2017, adding that under the terms of the agreement, Applied Atomics will re-engage with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to resume mPower design certification activities and conduct site-specific engineering for the first commercial deployments. As the licensing process progresses, Applied Atomics will also contract with BWXT for technical support.
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