Shipping nuclear propulsion start-up CORE POWER is teaming up with US nuclear firm Westinghouse to design and develop a floating nuclear power plant.
The floater, which the companies said could be centrally manufactured and easily transported to operation sites, combining advanced nuclear technology with shipyard efficiency would deliver nuclear energy to islands, ports, coastal communities and industry.
The power plants would use an eVinci microreactor that can operate for eight years at full power before refuelling. The microreactor has very few moving parts, working essentially as a battery, providing versatility for power systems ranging from several KW to 5 MW of electricity. It can also produce high-temperature heat suitable for industrial applications, including alternative fuel production such as hydrogen, and has the flexibility to balance renewable output.
Under the agreement, Westinghouse and CORE POWER will advance the design of the nuclear floater using the eVinci microreactor and its heat pipe technology. Heat pipes in the eVinci microreactor transfer heat from the nuclear core to a power conversion system, eliminating the need for water cooling and the associated recirculation systems, the companies explained, adding that they would also collaborate to develop a regulatory approach to licensing floating nuclear power plant systems.
CORE POWER is building the world’s first maritime civil nuclear program in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which it says has a potential market of $5.6trn by 2060. The company claims its technology will power large ocean-going ships with dramatic improvements in energy efficiency and true zero emissions, with an estimated $3trn market for large ships by 2060, while floating nuclear power is estimated to reach $2.6bn by the same timeframe as nuclear power for shipping.
“There’s no net-zero without nuclear. A long series of identical turnkey power plants using multiple installations of the Westinghouse eVinci microreactor delivered by sea, creates a real opportunity to scale nuclear as the perfect solution to meet the rapidly growing demand for clean, flexible and reliable electricity delivered on time and on budget,” said Mikal Bøe, CEO of CORE POWER.
