Nuward targets a fleet of 10 SMRs in five EU countries: construction is planned to begin in 2030.

The French project of the Nuward small modular reactor, a subsidiary of energy giant EDF, plans to begin construction of its first European series of 10 SMR units by 2030, with commercialization by 2029 and first commissioning in 2035, as announced at a side event within the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, according to World Nuclear News

The CEO of Nuward, Žilijen Garel, noted that the reactor design is fully completed and that the project is being developed for five European countries, with the aim of becoming a joint European reactor. Talks on cooperation and supply chains are already underway with partners in Italy, Poland, Belgium and Finland.

The estimated construction time for a single plant is 48 months, and the technology is intended not only for electricity production but also for district heating, production of process steam, desalination and industrial clusters with flexible operation in load-following mode.

This project also receives support within the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs, which is currently evaluating a second round of applications. The Alliance aims to bring the first SMRs online in the EU in the early 2030s, with a total SMR capacity of 17 to 53 gigawatts by 2050.

A design pivot: from complex innovations to proven technologies

The presented plans come after a significant turnaround in the project's development, which began in 2019 under the auspices of CEA, EDF, Naval Group and TechnicAtome.

The original concept envisaged a 340-megawatt power plant with two integrated reactors of 170 MW each. However, in July 2024, EDF decided to optimize and change the design in response to European customers' demands for lower risk and guaranteed timelines. In January 2025, a new design was officially presented: instead of overly complex engineering solutions, the new Nuward is conceived as a single 400-megawatt reactor that relies exclusively on already proven and standardized components.

In addition, at the Vienna meeting it was emphasized that Orano and Urenco already have capacities for the fuel cycle of light-water reactors in Europe, and that there is no need to build a new fuel supply chain, but rather to optimize and harmonize existing European capacities.

S.A.