Starting in the 1950’s boiling water reactors (BWR’s) have been used for power production. Since then, innovations in the fields of control engineering, fuel management and materials have led to an evolved design that is cost efficient while meeting modern safety standards.
Nuclear power is a climate-neutral technology that can produce energy steadily across the year, no matter the weather. A small amount of area and infrastructure is needed, and more local electricity and heat production means less net congestion on the short term and lower grid costs on the long term.
Besides being a safe and proven technology, nuclear power helps with diversification of energy sources and strategic autonomy. The energy can also be used for cost-effective heat production, which is hard to achieve with other climate-neutral energy sources.
Because Orange Hills Energy wants to deliver a reliable and durable energy system in the short term, it selected a Gen III+ reactor design ready for deployment, designed by one of the most experienced companies in the field of nuclear engineering.
The BWRX300 is a tenth generation of the BWR (Boiling Water Reactor) and represents the simplest design since GE began developing nuclear reactors, utilising proven in-use systems, materials and commercial off-the-shelf components. Most importantly, it is being built right now.
The BWRX-300 is a designed-to-cost water-cooled natural circulation SMR utilising simple natural phenomena-driven safety systems. It is an evolution of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensed 1,520 MWe ESBWR.
